The Girl From Nordsgarde
by zeitgeistx
Summary: Centuries have passed since the Great War, and magick in the five kingdoms is all but forgotten. Now rumors arise that a witch has killed seven men with her bare hands. Anna, the heir of Arendelle, is tasked to escort the prisoner to trial; and she would not only learn that magick is alive and well, but that there are things worse than losing your life - such as losing your heart.
1. The Prisoner

**Chapter 1: The Prisoner**

The sun was midway across the sky when they met at the crossroads of Summerfield.

The men in dark green uniform got off their horses, and Anna nudged her horse forward to meet the tall man standing at the head of the group.

"Lady Anna," the man greeted with a slight bow, placing his right hand on his chest while his left held on to his horse's reins.

"Captain Yasberg, I assume?"

"That is I, my lady."

Anna observed the men for a moment. The Captain continued to stand rigidly, his gaze fixed at a spot somewhere between her ear and her shoulder. The rest of his men were similarly uneasy, consciously averting their eyes from her. Anna mentally sighed.

_That's what you get for being the daughter of the Lord of Arendelle._

She smiled. "No need to be so stiff in front of me, Captain, I am not the Iron Lord," she said, and the man flicked his gaze upwards at her in surprise. "So, where is this prisoner?"

"O-oh yes, my lady," Yasberg said, turning around to one of his men. "Bring the witch, Benji!"

Anna's smile vanished as the man named Benji stepped forward with a young woman in tow. She had not seen her earlier, her view having been obstructed by the men and their horses.

The first thing she noticed was that the girl's two hands were locked together in an oblong shaped device of dark silver. Then it was her long sleeved dress, which had been soiled by patches of mud, and her dark blue cloak that was torn in several places. Anna could hardly see her face as the girl's head hung low, and was partially obscured by the light blonde hair that fell about her in an unruly manner. But she couldn't be much older than Anna.

Her stomach clenched at the sorry sight.

"Hmm," a low baritone voice sounded beside her, and Anna needn't turn her head to know that it was Ser Kromvik. The large and burly man sat astride an equally massive horse, his armour glinting under the sun. "This is the girl that slayed seven men in a fight?"

"Yes, Ser," Yasberg replied, casting a wary glance at the slender girl, "the folks say that she conjured magick out of her hands and froze them instantly."

His voice trembled at the word "magick".

"But we managed to find one of those locks from the olden days. She won't be able to do any of those things now."

At Yasberg's order, Benji tugged hard on the metal chain that was connected to the front of the lock and the girl stumbled forward. She seemed to have difficulties walking. Anna's frown deepened.

She jumped off her horse and approached the girl, who had been standing stock still and silent. She peered down at her feet. Her shoes must have worn out from the arduous journey, because she was now barefooted, and angry red gashes could be seen decorating her skin.

Anna sent Yasberg a pointed look. "Surely there was a better way of transporting the prisoner?"

The Captain gulped as his face turned pale. His mouth opened slightly, but he failed to say anything.

She decided to let the matter pass. For now.

"We'll take over from here," Anna said quietly, before raising her voice to address the Captain's men. "Thank you for your hard work. You must be weary from your journey, so I shall let you be off now."

The Captain and his men visibly relaxed from her words and, after bidding their farewells, got on their horses and left in the direction they had came from. When the last rider finally disappeared around the bend, Anna looked up at Ser Kromvik on his steed, squinting at the light that was reflected off his armour.

"Honestly, Ser, I never knew you were such a vain man. The light from that armour can burn a hole through a man's head. Or is that your secret weapon?"

A loud booming laughter emanated from the knight. "I'm afraid I haven't thought of that, my lady, brilliant idea as it is. The sad truth is it's been years since I've gotten into a proper fight, and now my armour is prettier than a girl from the Westwoods." He gazed at Anna with a rueful smile. "Perhaps you would like to change that?"

Anna grinned. She hadn't seen Ser Kromvik in action for years, and the last time she did she was still a small child, learning to swing her sword. Now that he had returned from patrolling the southern borders of the kingdom, she wondered if her skills were good enough to spar with him.

"Perhaps I would."

"Excellent! We should get back to Stag Hall speedily then." Ser Kromvik turned to the rest of their party, which consisted of ten soldiers. "Hoss! You take the girl." He gestured at the chain that was currently held in Anna's hands.

"That won't be necessary," Anna piped up quickly, earning her a questioning look from Ser Kromvik. "She'll be taking my horse."

Ser Kromvik's eyes widened. "My lady—"

"Her feet are injured, so we'll hardly get anywhere quickly if she walks. And you do want us to get back to the castle as soon as possible, don't you?"

The shock on Ser Kromvik's face changed into a grimace. "But my lady, she is danger-"

Anna interrupted him again. "Captain Yasberg said that the lock would prevent her from doing anything." She then flashed him a shrewd smile. "And if it doesn't, I'm sure I can count on the _Knight_ _of_ _Thorns_ to protect me."

Seeing the intent look on Anna's face, Ser Kromvik let out a long suffering sigh and reluctantly waved for Hoss to step back. Anna chuckled at his exasperation – he should have known that the stubborn little girl he had mentored briefly ten years ago would grow up into a stubborn young woman.

Finally, she turned her attention to the mysterious girl behind her, the girl whom the townsfolk of Hillsvale had called a "witch". A month ago the Lord of Arendelle had received a letter from the mayor of Hillsvale, claiming that a witch had killed seven men in town by turning them into solid ice. The news was initially met with skepticism from Lord Henrik; after all, it has been centuries since magick was last reported in the five kingdoms. But when the mayor sent a finger of one of the victims which remained frozen in the summer heat, Lord Henrik had no choice but to send for the prisoner, and instruct Anna to personally escort the girl back to Stag Hall to be tried.

Other than saying that the girl "doesn't speak the common tongue", the letter from the mayor of Hillsvale was infuriatingly vague. What is her name? Where is she from? Why did she kill the seven men? Does she really know magick? Anna had so many questions for the girl, though that would have to be saved for later. The priority was to cover as much ground as possible before sunset, given that they still had many days journey ahead before arriving home.

Anna tilted her head slightly, trying to catch a glimpse of the girl's downcast eyes but to no avail. Just as she held out her hand to touch the girl's shoulder, however, her eyes swiveled up at her—

They were cerulean, like the sparkling seas of Grimworth in winter.

"Umm—" Anna blinked, taken aback by the intense gaze. She tried to find something to say. "I—"

_But how do I speak to her when she doesn't know the common tongue?_

"Err..."

Hearing a snort from a certain knight, Anna furrowed her brows. Surely there must be a way to communicate? She pointed to the girl's feet, making it a point to speak slower. "Your feet are injured, so you should sit," she patted her horse, "on my horse", she pointed to herself, "with me."

"Do you understand?"

Anna waited for the unmoving girl to react, until she glanced down at the other's hands. She smacked herself in the forehead. She had forgotten about the lock. "Oh, I'm so stupid! Of course you can't get up the horse like this."

Gesturing for the girl to wait, she held on to her horse, before stepping one foot on the stirrups and swinging her other leg over the saddle in one smooth motion. She then guided her horse nearer to the girl, and extended both arms. The girl immediately shrunk back, her striking blue eyes watching Anna warily.

"It's okay", Anna coaxed, giving her a warm smile, "I'll just lift you up on the horse, alright?"

"You can't possibly walk with your feet like this."

At last, the girl lowered her gaze. Anna took this as granting her permission, and she leaned forward. With strength that belied her lithe form, Anna held the girl under the arms and pulled her up to sit sidesaddle on the horse.

"There you go," Anna murmured while she made sure that the girl was seated securely in front of her. She reached around her waist to grab the reins, keeping her arms loose so as not to frighten her. Even then, she could feel her trembling. Was it from fear or sheer fatigue?

Anna did not know, although she noticed that regardless of whether she was standing on the hard ground or sitting on the horse, the girl's posture remained straight and upright, almost regal.

_She's special, isn't she? _

Flicking her gaze to meet Ser Kromvik's disapproving ones, Anna grinned and tapped lightly on her horse to move off.

* * *

"So how many masters have you had, Lady Anna?" Ser Kromvik was asking her.

She tipped her head backwards, scrunching her face as she tried to recall. "Mmm… at least ten, I think."

"Ten?"

"Yes." Anna flicked her fingers outwards while she counted. "I've had a few book masters so far, three, I think? And then there were the combat masters. Ser Juno for archery, Ser Kempton and Ser Teryne for swordsmanship, Lady Lovell for horse riding..."

"Lady Lovell? She's extremely skillful."

"Indeed. Then there were also the etiquette masters, Master Holton and Madam Pike. Oh, and how could I forget, the _dancing_ master, Master Weselton…"

"The Weasel?" Ser Kromvik chortled. "That must have been painful."

Anna rolled her eyes as she found herself reliving some really awkward memories. "Painful is understatement, Ser, it was _mortifying_. Once he tried to teach me some dance that he claimed was from the Southern Isles, but all I think of was that he was prancing around like a cross between a monkey and a cockerel!"

The last sentence spouted by Anna had Ser Kromvik guffawing loudly. The other soldiers stared at him curiously, but he paid them no mind. Wiping the tears from the corner of his eyes, his expression eventually grew solemn when he realised something else.

"Ah," he said, stroking his beard idly, "it must have been really tough for you."

Anna merely shrugged. The life of a noble woman generally meant many grueling hours of studying and acquiring all kinds of artistic talents. Being the only daughter of Lord Henrik, however, meant that she was expected to take up her father's mantel and inherit his title when he passes on. So other than the normal "workload", Anna was also trained in combat and horse riding from a very young age. Not that she really minded; she had always felt more comfortable running around and climbing trees as opposed to playing with dolls, and saw her trainings as different kinds of sport.

"There were times that I felt like quitting, I admit," Anna remarked as she unconsciously rubbed the calluses on her palms with her fingers. But her voice brightened immediately. "On the other hand, I get to go on adventures like this!"

"An adventure?" Ser Kromvik's eyes glimmered with amusement. He looked as if he was about to say something, but eventually closed his mouth and turned his attention back to the road. "Ah, to be young…" he murmured, shaking his head pleasantly.

The sun was setting, and the warm orange rays of light filtered through the forest. Anna regarded her companion, who has yet to utter a single word despite sitting on the same horse for whole afternoon. The latter kept her chained hands firmly on her lap, not once looking at Anna or any other person in the group.

Even though they were not speaking, Anna took the opportunity to observe the girl. From what she could make out from her profile, the girl was very pretty. Her skin, though marred by dirt, was fair and smooth; and her nose and cheekbones were perfectly sculpted, like a marble statue from the old temples of Quon. And those blue eyes...

Beneath her stoic gaze, there seemed to be a softness about her. The girl appeared to be admiring the scenery as they rode through the forest, and if Anna wasn't imagining things, those eyes were observing the greenery with concealed delight, notwithstanding the fact that she was a prisoner in chains.

So how could she be a ruthless killer?

"It'll be nightfall soon," Anna began gently so that she would not startle the girl. "We'll have to stop and make camp."

There was no acknowledgment from the girl that she understood her words, or even heard them, but Anna was determined to press on. "I am Anna of Arendelle. What is your name?"

No response.

"We are bringing you to see Lord Henrik, the lord protector of Arendelle. I apologise for the way that the men have treated you on the way to Summerfield, and I will speak to Lord Henrik about this."

No response again.

Anna exhaled. It was not unexpected, but nonetheless she was disappointed by the lack of reaction from the girl. She wondered whether the girl could speak at all, but the mayor specifically said that she didn't speak the common tongue, hence that was unlikely to be the case?

And even if she did, really, why would she want to speak to her captor?

* * *

It was another two hours of riding before the group decided to break for camp. Ser Kromvik dismounted his horse swiftly, directing the soldiers to set up the tents in a small clearing in the woods. There was to be one tent each for Anna and Ser Kromvik, and two larger tents for the rest of the men. Three soldiers would take turns to keep watch at all times, so there wasn't really a space issue.

After getting a fire going in the middle of the camp, they cooked supper. Anna tried to help, but Ser Kromvik chased her away, saying that he didn't want to risk burning down the forest. In the end, Anna was forced to sit by the fire grumpily and wait for her food. She received a bowl of steaming soup and a bread roll, and when she turned around, she saw the prisoner sitting at the edge of the camp, her face half hidden by the shadows.

One of the soldiers was handing out the bread rolls. When he came to the girl, however, instead of passing it to her, he threw the bread roll on the ground. Anna's eyes narrowed at once.

"Roftsen," Anna called as she shot a glare at the soldier. "I don't want to see that again, understand?"

The stunned soldier stuttered yes and scurried back to the cooking area. Anna walked over to the discarded bread roll, picking it up and dusting the dirt off. "Looks like it's still edible…"

She took a few more steps and plopped herself down on a log beside the girl. "Here, have some soup," she said as she placed the bowl before her. "And this one's a bit dirty, so you can have this instead." Stretching out her arm, she presented the girl with the bread roll she had been given earlier, while taking a bite out of the one that was thrown on the ground.

To Anna's surprise, the girl turned to stare at her with what she deemed as confusion.

"Umm, what?" Anna asked as she continued to chew. She wasn't sure what provoked this reaction from the girl; nevertheless she was pleased she had _some_ reaction from her now. The girl's gaze drifted down to her half bitten piece of bread before looking up at her again.

"Oh, you mean that it's dirty?"

Anna beamed.

"Don't worry about it, I have a really strong stomach! A bit of dirt won't kill me."

She waved the clean bread roll in front of the girl. "And go on, eat this. You must be hungry."

The girl still appeared uncertain, but Anna just held the bread closer to her hands. At Anna's insistent prodding, she finally took bread roll and ate.

Anna grinned so hard that she thought her mouth was going to split.

* * *

As soon as supper was over, Anna felt her exhaustion setting in. It had taken them almost two weeks to ride out to Summerfield, and now they were travelling back on the same route. Her body was terribly sore.

Trudging towards the tent that had been pitched for her, Anna caught sight of the prisoner, sitting quietly at the same spot she had taken her supper. The three soldiers that were supposed to be keeping first watch sat near the fire, their gazes flitting towards the girl now and then as they talked in hushed voices.

Anna felt an uneasiness grow in her as she observed the scene. The girl was undoubtedly attractive. While some of the soldiers had regarded her with contempt, some others leered at her with poorly disguised intentions. Leaving her out in the camp alone would be a very bad idea.

She made up her mind quickly, and called for Ser Kromvik.

"Yes, my lady?" The knight stepped out from his tent, his giant sword in hand. He was probably polishing it.

"The girl will be sleeping in my tent."

Ser Kromvik's eyebrows jumped. "Wha—"

"You can't expect a girl to sleep out in the cold?"

"But—"

"I've decided."

"My lady," the knight's complexion was turning scarlet, even in the low light, "this is insane!"

Anna sighed. "What is insane?"

"_This_, Lady Anna! How can you let her share your tent, when you know what she can do?"

"As a matter of fact, I don't, Ser Kromvik," Anna replied evenly. "She hasn't been tried. Who knows whether what the mayor says is true?"

"But—"

"This is an order, Ser Kromvik. And really, if she is able to kill us, do you think that whether she is in my tent will make a difference?"

Ser Kromvik was unable to find a comeback, and settled for jostling his jaws agitatedly. Satisfied, Anna strode across the camp and reached out her hand to the girl.

"Come with me, please?"

* * *

"Don't you think that Ser Kromvik looks like a giant walrus when he's angry?" Anna snickered as she pushed the flap of her tent aside and stepped inside, bending her waist to accommodate the low ceiling. She sat down on one side of the tent, and started to remove her boots, only to realise that the prisoner had not followed her in, and was still lingering at the door.

Seeing her guarded expression, Anna guessed why she hadn't come in. She fidgeted with the material of her grey breeches.

"Umm… I know this might seem a little strange, but trust me, I'm not interested in doing anything to you tonight. I mean—I'm not interested in doing anything to you ever. Oh—no, that's not what I meant—not that you're unattractive, you're very attractive, more attractive than any girl I've met but—"

Anna sucked in a deep breath. "Okay, you know what? I think I should shut up now." She covered her eyes with her palm and fell back against the blanket that was laid on the ground.

_I. am. such. an. idiot. _

Her face was burning with embarrassment. She peered at the girl through the gaps between her fingers, certain that the latter was going to walk away.

But perhaps her eyes were playing tricks, because she could have sworn that the corners of the girl's lips arched up briefly in a smile.

Anna blinked in astonishment, but the girl was already crouching slightly to get into the tent. She came to a stop right opposite Anna, causing the other to sit up immediately.

"Err, you can sleep—over here," Anna sputtered, patting the space beside her excitedly. To her relief, the girl considered this only for a few seconds before lowering herself onto the blanket.

While she did so far more gracefully than Anna ever could, her wincing didn't go by unnoticed.

"Ah, I almost forgot!" Anna exclaimed as she sprung up from the floor and went to rummage in a bag sitting in a corner of the tent. In a flash she was back, with some linen cloth and a bottle of brown liquid. The girl regarded her with a quizzical expression, so Anna quickly explained.

"For your wounds," she said, gesturing at the girl's feet. The latter was sitting with her two legs tucked neatly to the side, so Anna shifted to the other end of the blanket. The girl tried to retract her legs further.

"Hey, it's okay," Anna said, holding her ankles firmly to stop her from moving away. The girl stiffened under her touch, but Anna was too preoccupied to notice. She scrutinized the damage and gritted her teeth. It was even worse than she thought.

The blisters had burst open, leaving raw and red wounds all over her soles. Cuts and abrasions of varying sizes were also scattered around her feet and, because the girl's dress was slightly hiked up her legs, Anna could see that they even covered her calves.

She couldn't imagine how the girl had managed to travel in this state.

_Captain Yasberg is so going to regret this. _

Biting down her anger, Anna reached for the bottle and removed the cap. She poured a little of the liquid on a linen pad, and shifted her gaze to the prisoner. "It's going to sting a bit, but it'll help you heal faster, okay?"

The girl flinched when Anna pressed the linen pad against her foot, soundlessly biting her lower lip in pain. Anna's chest tightened at the sight but her hands continued working. She quickly cleaned the wounds and wrapped the bandages around the girl's feet, feeling thankful for once that she had been made to learn medicine from one of her book masters.

Satisfied with her handiwork, Anna looked up. "Where else are you hurt?" she asked softly, running her gaze over the girl's body. "Your arms?" Without waiting for her reply, she leaned forward and dabbed the brown liquid on wherever she saw a wound. Luckily the cuts here were mostly scratches and would heal in no time.

Anna sat back on her legs, and focused her attention on the girl's torso.

"What about—"

The girl wrapped her arms around herself, her eyes flashing in alarm.

"Alright, alright!" Anna raised her palms in mock surrender. "I'm not touching you, okay?" She collected the dirtied linen and other items from the ground and put them near the door of the tent. She then pulled the flap of the tent down and secured it with a rope.

Crawling on her knees towards her side of the tent, Anna paused and wagged a finger at the girl. "No more walking around for you until the wounds heal, understand?"

She then let out a short bark of laughter. "What am I doing, you probably didn't understand what I said."

"Anyway, time to rest. Goodnight!"

Anna reached for the lamp hanging in the middle of the tent and blew out the flame. As darkness descended in that small space, she found a comfortable position and lay down.

She was no fool, so despite being almost certain that the girl would not attack her, she hugged her sword to her chest.

_I must stay alert, I must stay alert..._

But as soon as her head hit the ground, she fell into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

**A/N: **It's been _ages_ since I wrote anything, and I'm not sure I'm in the best position to start anything now. But what can I do when the plot bunnies keep kicking my head? (bad bunnies, bad!) And a medieval-ish AU, no less? (omg) Anyway, here's my little contribution to the Elsanna fandom. Hope you enjoyed it!


	2. The Forgotten Kingdom

**Chapter ****2:** **The Forgotten Kingdom**

Anna was awoken by the sunlight peeking through the crack between the flap and the side of the tent. She rubbed her face tiredly, and stretched her muscles. A thought then hit her; and she scrambled to sit upright.

_The girl!_

Snapping her head around, Anna saw that the young woman in question was curled up on her side, exposing her slender back to her. Her eyes were closed and her chest rose and fell steadily. She appeared to be sound asleep. And Anna's sword was still in her lap, as opposed to sticking out from a hole in her stomach. She smiled to herself.

_See? I told you it'll be fine, Ser Kromvik. _

She crossed her legs and scrutinised the prisoner as the latter snoozed. Her blonde fringe fell messily across her face, but that did not prevent Anna from noticing her long and thick eyelashes, or the way the corners of her lips were naturally curled upwards.

Anna didn't know how long she watched, but it came to a point that she became aware how _creepy _she was acting, and had to fight off the blush that suddenly bloomed on her cheeks. Making sure that she moved as quietly as possible, Anna grabbed a towel from her bag and crept out of the tent.

The soldiers were already up and about, and greetings were exchanged as she made her way to the other end of the camp. A basin of water had been prepared in advance for her, which she gladly used to wash up.

Wiping her face with the wet towel, Anna let out a contented sigh. It was almost mid-summer, and the heat and humidity in the forest made for an uncomfortable journey. Gerda, the chief housekeeper, had made sure that her wardrobe for the trip would mainly consist of white shirts and breeches made of light fabric, but even then her back was constantly damp with sweat.

Still, she had not uttered a word of complaint throughout their journey. The soldiers were impressed with her, she knew, as they had surely expected a noblewoman like her to whine incessantly. If only they realised how much tougher her childhood "camping trips" with her father had been.

Anna finished wiping her neck with the towel and turned her attention to her hair. She had been so exhausted the night before that she didn't even loosen her twin braids before she slept. But that was just as well, as it saved her the trouble from having to battle a head of rebellious hair in the morning.

Her fingers worked nimbly to undo the ties and soon her long tresses, which were a shade of fiery copper, cascaded down her back. She was running her hands through them, trying to smoothen out whatever kinks and knots there were, when she heard footsteps approaching behind her.

Anna spun around. "Oh—"

To see a pair of cerulean eyes.

She broke into a cheerful smile. "Good morning!" she said as she regarded the girl before her. The prisoner seemed well rested, as her gaze was brighter than the day before. And somehow it grew even brighter as it roamed quickly over Anna's face and her relaxed hair.

"Err, I'm just washing up," Anna explained. The intense gaze from the girl made her a little twitchy, and she was seized with the sudden need to say something. "W—would you like to wash up too?"

The girl was in the midst of a nod, before she stopped to look at her hands.

"Ah, right…" Anna muttered. The lock was seriously troublesome.

An idea, however, came to her.

She twisted her head around to survey the camp. Ser Kromvik was nowhere to be seen, while the soldiers seemed to be minding their own businesses.

In any case, she's entitled to do what she wants, right?

Anna turned back around and pointed to a log. "Sit over there," she said to the girl, "and wait for me!" Then, she sprinted to her tent and disappeared within.

When she reappeared a short moment later, she was holding a new towel in her hands. She dipped it into a fresh basin of water, and walked towards the prisoner, laying it on her hands. "Here you go."

The girl seemed to understand what she intended, and picked up the cloth. As Anna settled into the seat beside her, she raised her arms and tried to dab her face with it. Unfortunately, her hands were tightly clasped together, which greatly limited her movement.

Anna thought that she looked like a hamster trying to clean its face. But then the hamster would probably be having an easier time.

It was a rather amusing sight, looking at the girl's gawky attempts, and Anna couldn't help but chuckle. The girl shot her a glare.

_Well, that's a new expression. _

And Anna broke out in unbridled laughter.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she tried to say eventually, despite not being able to wipe the silly grin off her face. When the obviously annoyed prisoner turned away, Anna jumped up from her seat. Sounding a bit more sincere than she did the first time round, she apologised again, and took the towel from the girl.

"Let me help you with it?"

Before the girl could protest, Anna was pressing the cloth against her cheeks. She wore a small smile as she gently, but meticulously, cleaned the dirt and grime from the girl's soft skin, pleasantly oblivious to the fact that the latter had frozen the moment she touched her.

"All done," Anna announced when she wiped the last spot of dirt away from her jawline. The girl's cheeks were flushed pink by now, but Anna (in one of her more dull moments) assumed that it was due to the cloth rubbing against her skin.

Anna tossed the towel into the basin that was situated a distance away, and they moved on to tidying the girl's unruly hair. With Anna's help, the girl plaited her hair in one thick braid, which she left hanging over her left shoulder. Once they were finished, Anna took a step back to admire her masterpiece…

Her jaw dropped open.

"Wow…"

If Anna thought that the girl was pretty before, she was absolutely understating it. Now that her fringe was swept back from her forehead, her elegant features were on full display. She looked like a princess from one of those fairytales that Gerda would tell her when she was a child. The words slipped out of her mouth without her knowing.

"You're… beautiful…"

Her thoughts came to a crashing halt as the girl ogled at her.

_Err. What did I just say?_

"Umm! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that! No, I mean—I'm not saying that you're not beautiful, you are, I'm just saying that—"

Anna covered her face in horror. How is it that she's committing so much more faux pas than usual when it comes to this girl?

"Can we just pretend that this conversation did not happen?" came her muffled voice from behind her hands. "Or better, maybe we can pretend that _I_ never happened."

She briefly wondered if it was possible to die from embarrassment, and if so, whether it was her last day on earth. Her turbulent thoughts, however, were interrupted by a faint, melodious sound.

Anna slowly lowered her hands. She thought that her eyes were going to pop.

_Did she... did she just giggle?_

* * *

Breakfast was uneventful, if Anna excluded the strange and furtive glances that she was getting from the soldiers. She ate a bread roll and a fruit, and shared her bowl of boiled oats with the prisoner. Just as she was about to stand up and leave, Ser Kromvik approached.

The Knight of Thorns cleared his throat. "May I have a word with you, Lady Anna?" His eyes flicked towards the prisoner. "In private?"

"Sure," Anna replied, giving the girl a reassuring smile before following the man to the area behind the camp, in the middle of the trees.

Anna folded her arms. "What do you wish to speak to me about, Ser Kromvik?" she asked languidly, even though she had a good idea of what the topic would be.

The knight exhaled heavily as he stuck his sword into the ground and leaned against it. "The girl, Lady Anna."

"What about the girl?"

"The men are talking about you and her, my lady. What's this thing that I hear about you helping her wash up this morning?"

Anna shrugged. "Her hands were shackled."

Ser Kromvik's shoulders tensed further, and he looked like a volcano threatening to erupt. "She's a _prisoner_, Lady Anna," his voice was strained, "not a pet that you're taking on a sightseeing trip!"

His words touched a raw nerve within her, as she recalled the ugly wounds on the girl's feet. "Well she might be in shackles, Ser Kromvik, but she's innocent until proven guilty!" Anna responded hotly. "And even if she is a prisoner, that doesn't mean that she is less than human, does it? I—"

"_Anna_," Ser Kromvik interjected, silencing her with his familiar use of her name. He was calling on his authority as her childhood guardian, and not her father's knight. "I know that there is a lot of goodness in your heart, and you always see the best in people. But the world out there is not as wonderful as it seems. It's filled with cunning and wicked men and women, and they would not hesitate to take advantage of your kindness."

"But she isn't—"

He raised his hand. "I don't want to hear it, Anna. I'm not here to argue with you about whether she is a good person. I just want you to promise to be careful. Promise me?"

Looking at the genuine concern in his eyes, Anna's anger was snuffed out like a candle flame. She nodded somberly. "I will be careful, I promise."

The man smiled at her, and that was the end of the conversation.

* * *

The next few days passed in an almost similar manner. Every morning Anna would be the first to clamber out of the tent. She would proceed to wash her face, and help the prisoner to do the same when she finally appears beside her. There would then be several hours of hard riding through the woods, interspaced with meals and short breaks. They would have their food while sitting side by side, although Anna would occasionally invite Ser Kromvik to join them. At night, Anna would retire to her tent together with the girl, and they would keep to their respective sides of the blanket until daybreak.

As time wore by, Anna's curiousity about the girl grew rather than abated. Many a times she tried to strike up a conversation with her, but the latter would either remain silent or stare back at her blankly. Uneasily deterred, Anna took to having lengthy monologues in the presence of her companion, telling her about Stag Hall and her best friend Kristoff, who was the grandson of Master Pabbie, the mischief that they had gotten up to in the past, the awful lessons she had to endure under Master Weselton, and the interesting stories that Gerda had imparted to her regarding the five kingdoms. The fact that the girl did not respond at all did not put her off much. She had a tendency to talk to the paintings back home anyway.

On the sixth day, nonetheless, Anna hit a wall, figuratively. Her patience was wearing thin – she was almost certain that the girl wasn't mute, but still she said nothing. Even if she spoke some exotic language other than the common tongue, shouldn't she have said _something_ by now?

And thus it was that Anna was uncharacteristically glum that day, saying next to nothing to the prisoner. It also didn't help that there was a sudden heavy downpour, the rain adding to the misery of the group as they trudged along on their horses. However, her moodiness wasn't unnoticed by the girl. The tables were turned, and it was the latter's turn to try to catch her eye. Anna, scowling away, would resolutely fix her gaze in the other direction.

_Hmp__h__!_

Even though they were equipped with hooded capes made of waxed cloth, these were still no match for the foul weather. Anna pinched the collar of her partially soaked shirt irritably, wondering how much more water the heavens was going to throw at them.

"Nasty weather…" Ser Kromvik grumbled as he prodded his horse to trot alongside Anna's. His hooded cape was rather too small for him, causing him to resemble an overturned turnip. But Anna was not in the mood for jokes, even if it was literally staring at her in the face.

"Such rain is unusual for summer," she observed, "but I don't think it will hold up our journey."

Alas, she spoke too early, because as soon as she did there was a commotion at the head of the convoy and the horses halted in their tracks.

"Ser Kromvik!" one of the soldiers called, "there is a fallen tree ahead!"

Ser Kromvik muttered a string of curses before he rode to the front of the convoy, where he dismounted and joined the soldiers. The scene was a mess. It seemed that a thunderstorm had struck earlier in this area, uprooting a massive tree which collapsed across the road. The surrounding trees didn't appear to be in a much better shape; some of them were bent and fractured, and looked as though they might break at anytime.

Anna rode her horse forward to take a closer look. The soldiers had gathered around the fallen log, and were preparing to remove the obstacle. But the tree trunk was so large that Anna doubted whether they could carry it on their own.

"Stay here," she murmured to the girl sitting in front of her, withdrawing her arms from around her waist and sliding off the horse. She had found a spare pair of boots in her luggage (thanks to Gerda's foresight) and given them to the girl. That said, she was loath to let the girl walk around, lest her wounds split open again.

She made her way to the men and positioned herself at one end of the tree trunk.

"Lady Anna—" Ser Kromvik started.

"It's fine, I can help," Anna insisted as she bent forward to grip the rough bark with both her hands. There wasn't much that Ser Kromvik could do about the young heir of Arendelle or her helpful nature, so he conceded defeat and crouched down, spreading his legs apart for maximum stability.

"Okay men, on the count of three. One, two…"

"THREE!"

With a mighty heave, the enormous tree trunk was lifted off the ground.

"Turn it around!" Ser Kromvik barked. The men obeyed and shuffled to their left. However, they had barely made a quarter of a turn when disaster struck. One of the soldiers slipped on the wet and sodden soil and fell. The abrupt loss of one man bearing the load caused the other soldiers at his end to stumble backwards, and the log smashed against another tree.

There was loud crack.

The second tree broke in half and crashed towards Anna.

"A—Anna!"

The tree landed with a loud thud, sending the scattered leaves flying in the air.

Anna was lying on the ground, panting heavily with her heart hammering in her chest. She had been alerted by the voice, and had flung herself to the side at the very last moment to escape being crushed by the falling tree.

Ser Kromvik rushed forward to help her up, and as he did so he was confused by the almost maniacal grin on her face. Could she have hit her head?

Anna disregarded his look of panic, and instead directed her attention to the girl sitting on her horse. She was nearly giddy with excitement.

"Wh—what did you say?"

* * *

"_So_… you are able to speak." It was a statement, not a question. Anna had one eyebrow raised and wore a sly smirk as she peered intently at the girl in front of her.

The fallen log had at last been shifted from the road, such that the riders were able to pass through. But given the exertion from the exercise and that the rain had finally ceased, Ser Kromvik thought it was as good a time as any for the group to take a breather and freshen themselves up. The hooded capes were swiftly discarded in a pile and the men rested on the various rocks and logs that were strewn around the forest floor.

As for Anna, she helped the girl off the horse and led her to a narrow stream nearby. After perching themselves on a boulder, Anna handed her water skin to the girl for drinking. She then took it back and put it to her own lips, gulping down the cool liquid greedily.

It was at this stage that she decided to pose the statement to the prisoner.

The girl fidgeted uncomfortably before her, her gaze plastered to the muddy ground. Anna moved closer to her.

"I know you called my name, and thank you for that – you saved me," her smile was warm and grateful, "but I still don't know your name. What is your name?"

The cerulean eyes swivelled upwards to glance at her quickly, before looking away.

"C'mon now…"

The girl maintained her stony silence.

Anna's heart fell. She had shared so many things about herself with this girl, but the latter remains a complete stranger to her. Here she was, thinking that they were friends, hoping to get to know her better…

_But nobody said that she wanted to be friends with you. _

As the thought hit home, the furrows between her brows tightened. Anna sprung up from her seat, ready to leave—

A pair of hands grasped her wrist.

"_Elsa_."

The girl's face was still turned away from her, but her palms were firmly wrapped around Anna's. She repeated softly, "_Mitt navn er_ _Elsa._"

When Anna snapped out of her shock, she knelt down before the prisoner, holding the other's hands. "Your—your name is Elsa?" She could hardly keep her voice from shaking.

Nodding, the girl looked at Anna. A shy smile appeared on her face, and for an instant Anna had the overwhelming need to draw her close and hug her. She managed to keep her hands to herself, but she also felt so happy that she thought she was going to burst.

She settled for chuckling wildly instead, while the smile grew wider on the girl's face. A smile that reached her eyes and made them twinkle.

"_Elsa,_" Anna said once more, and the word rolled off her tongue smoothly, like fine dark chocolate from East Telvenia."A gorgeous name for a gorgeous girl…" she marvelled aloud, watching the crimson colour creep up the girl's neck onto her cheeks.

She chortled again. "I sound like a saucy knight, don't I?"

* * *

Late that night, Anna tossed and turned on her blanket. No matter how hard she tried she could not sleep. There was something bothering her.

She sneaked a peek at the familiar figure to her right. As usual, the girl was curled up on her side, her silky blonde hair splayed across her back. Anna stared at it for a while. She was rather envious that despite having had a rough journey (to put it lightly), the girl's hair felt soft and smooth, just like her skin. And Anna knew these two facts very well, since she had the privilege of touching them every morning.

_Eh— What on earth am I thinking about?!_

Mentally admonishing herself for having weird thoughts about the girl, as she seemed prone to do lately, Anna lifted herself into a sitting position. When she was convinced that the other was in deep sleep, she put on her cloak and crawled out of the tent.

A short walk later, she arrived at another tent. She stood in front of the flap of the tent and rested her temple against it. "Ser Kromvik?" she whispered, "are you awake?"

There was a rustling sound before the inside of the tent lit up and the flap to the tent was pulled aside. Ser Kromvik emerged without his usual armour and dressed in a tunic and breeches. "My lady?" he asked, clearly perturbed by Anna's appearance at this doorstep.

"I apologise for disturbing you at this hour, Ser, but I have something to speak to you about. May I enter?"

"Of course, my lady," he replied with a slight bow, and stepped aside to let Anna into his tent. As the knight was of a much taller stature, his tent was bigger and Anna didn't have to stoop to go in.

"Please, have a seat," Ser Kromvik gestured and Anna lowered herself to sit cross-legged on the ground. The knight sat opposite her.

"You heard her speak today?"

There was no doubt who Anna was referring to, and Ser Kromvik had to admit that he was surprised by the turn of events. The prisoner had remained stoically silent since she was put under their care, so much so that he assumed that she was either mute or pretending to be. He didn't expect her to holler out of the blue, and to save Anna, no less. For that act itself, he felt that he owed her a debt.

"Well, her name is Elsa."

Ser Kromvik straightened his posture immediately. "She told you her name?"

"Yes," Anna took a deep breath, "and also that she is from Nordsgarde."

This revelation had the knight's eyes widening, and he unconsciously reached for the hilt of his sword.

"_The_ _Forgotten_ _Kingdom_?"

"Mmm," she affirmed, not exactly ruffled by his reaction. Anna didn't know much about Nordsgarde, save for what she had been taught by her book masters during her history lessons.

According to the Annals of Sidheine, magick used to be common in the world, including the five kingdoms, which were part of the same continental land mass. To the far north of the five kingdoms, separated by the Andaic Sea, was Nordsgarde, a country known for its towering glaciers and rugged mountains, where the summers were cold and the winters were bitter. Perhaps due to its climate and geography, the people of Nordsgarde had a special affinity for ice magick.

The never-ending frost also seemed to breed a brutal streak in Nordsgarde's citizens. King Fenwirk the Cruel, for instance, had a taste for freezing his subjects and having them as dessert. It was even rumoured that the kings were directly descended from the Dragons of Winter, and that the palace in which the royal family resided was created entirely from ice. Ice which was harder than stone and smoother than glass, and which sparkled under the sun like a glittering diamond.

There had always been little interaction between Nordsgarde and the five kingdoms, given the distance that had to be traversed over the Andaic Sea. But then about 300 years ago the Great War occurred, when King Reitger of Nordsgarde sought to conquer the world by force. He led his vast army with him, including many sorcerers and sorceresses amongst its ranks, and invaded the five kingdoms.

Jholsberg was the first to fall. King Reitger's fearsome army marched forward, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Villages and towns were levelled to the ground while countless people perished, and the fires burned in the old city of Yelva for three days and three nights. Unlike Nordsgarde, the five kingdoms were far less reliant on magick, and had not devoted time to training an elite team of mages and spell casters. It seemed as though the end was nigh.

Nevertheless, what the five kingdoms lacked in skills, they made up with courage. The rulers put aside their differences temporarily, and had their respective armies work together to repel the invaders. The common folk also decided to pick up the sword and join the cause, swelling the resistance's numbers considerably.

For four years men and women fought the dreadful war, and the tide was ultimately turned at the Battle of Arendelle. Arendelle was a crucial location, being the last fortress that stood between King Reitger and the port of Ulrick. Once King Reitger seizes the port, it would be almost impossible to stop him from tramping on the rest of Heladonia.

Lord Gorden, the then lord protector of Arendelle and Anna's ancestor, summoned his troops and led them against King Reitger's approaching army. The dark green banners of House Arendelle, bearing its emblem of a stag leaping over a shield and crossed swords, fluttered in the wind as the Iron Lord charged towards the enemy.

Chaos took over when the two armies met, and the grounds at Broakenshield were at once filled with cries of war and screams of death. Cutting down the enemy soldiers as he met them, it didn't take long for Lord Gorden to spot the bringer of all this violence, a man dressed in silvery blue armour with a magnificent crown of crystal on his head.

All of a sudden there was a blinding flash, and Lord Gorden was struck. He tumbled off his horse and crashed onto the hard surface. A searing pain shot up his knees and he called out in pain. His legs were broken, and his unsheathed sword had clattered to the ground a short distance away from him.

His attention, however, was focused solely on the man dismounting his horse and striding towards him. It was the first time Lord Gorden has seen the White King up close, and in spite of the dire position he was in he did not fail to note that king was an extremely handsome man. The latter's pale blonde hair was sleeked backwards; accentuating his sharp nose, well defined cheekbones and chiselled jaw. But it was his eyes that were the most arresting. Lord Gorden has met many powerful foes before. Nevertheless, the cold fury in those grey eyes sent shivers down his spine.

King Reitger's sword hung by his side. Instead of drawing his sword, he raised an upturned palm. At once there was a change in the atmosphere, and Lord Gorden watched in awe and terror as the air turned white and coalesced above the king's palm, like a spinning ball of pure energy.

Realising that he was on the brink of oblivion, the lord protector struggled to take his own sword, writhing desperately as he reached for the piece of metal that seemed so near yet so far.

The White King parted his lips. "_Forbered deg selv for å dø,_" he hissed.

The ball of energy grew luminescent, as if it was going to explode.

By some miracle, Lord Gorden grabbed hold of the hilt and swung with all his might. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as the blade slashed through the air in a fluid motion, and as it connected with the silvery blue armour.

The light extinguished.

King Reitger howled, falling to his knees and clutching tightly to the stump that remained of his forearm. The dark red blood gushed out like a river, flowing down his sleeves and staining his clothes.

Lord Gorden maintained a tight grip on his sword. Just as he was about to finish the deed, unfortunately, a horse galloped by and its rider grabbed hold of the injured king. Nordsgarde's army hastily beat a retreat, even if it was not completely defeated.

The most important thing of all, though, was that the victory at the Battle of Arendelle renewed the confidence of the five kingdoms. United by a single goal, their people continued to wage war with Nordsgarde for the next five years, gradually pushing the invaders out through where they came from, and banishing them across the sea.

That was the last time the army of Nordsgarde was seen or heard. But that didn't stop the stories from being passed from generation to generation, and even though it was the Forgotten Kingdom, the memories of its past menace were never really erased, and the mere mention of its name was sufficient to strike fear into the listener's heart.

Ser Kromvik looked at Anna gravely, the area between his brows creased with worry. "I have a bad feeling about this, my lady."

Anna closed her eyes, willing herself to believe that the knight was simply being paranoid.

She just didn't know how right he was.

* * *

**A/N: **Hello guys!

First off, thanks everyone who have reviewed, faved and followed this story. The response was quite encouraging and the main reason why I was inspired enough to push out the next chapter so quickly.

Second, we will get to Elsa's side of the story eventually. In the meantime, please enjoy Anna's story (and all the awkwardness that comes with it).

Annnnd third, I was actually contemplating creating my own language (ala Tolkien) but then it came out meh. Thus I decided to go for Norwegian. I used google translate (shame on me), so if anyone wants to correct my translation, that'll be appreciated.

Have a good week ahead! :D


	3. Road to Stag Hall

**Chapter 3: ****Road to Stag Hall**

The fact that Anna knew her name brought their relationship to a whole new level.

She was no longer "the mysterious girl" in her head; she was _Elsa_, from the frozen lands in the far north. When she is upset she would pout by jutting her chin out slightly, and when she smiles, her eyes resemble the crescent moon. She cringes at the sight of frogs, she mumbles in her sleep, and sometimes, just sometimes, she would catch her yawning.

As though to compensate for their lack of verbal interaction, every bit of detail that Anna observed was imprinted in her mind, and told her who Elsa was. Now that she and Elsa _were _talking (even though it consisted mainly of Anna talking and Elsa listening) it was as if her knowledge about the girl was growing exponentially. She felt connected to her on a deeper level than she normally would with a person she had only known for eleven days, but then again she would not usually spend twenty-four hours a day by the same person's side.

On this eleventh day, the route on which the convoy was travelling veered to the edge of the forest. When the horses stepped out from the cover of the trees and into the open, the girl in her arms gasped audibly.

Anna grinned. Despite having already seen it a number of times, she was similarly amazed by the stunning scenery.

The road took them along a large lake bounded by verdant grass and trees. Behind the trees was a mountain range that, too, was covered with lush greenery. Under the summer sky, the still water of the lake was like a mirror, reflecting the clouds, the mountains and the greenery in exact detail.

Her left hand released its grip on the reins and pointed at the water. "This is Lake Zelfer," she said, "it is the holy ground of the Feronians. Their legends state that when Ilo sculpted the world, he accidentally scraped a piece off the surface, which created this lake."

She then pointed to the mountain range beyond the water. "Those are the Tolsford Mountains, named after the First King of Heladonia. They run along the southern border of Arendelle, and you will need to cross them in order to get to the capital."

Drawing her finger horizontally to the right, Anna continued, "After going around the lake, the road will again run into the forest."

"Another three days, and we'll arrive at Stag Hall."

Elsa remained quiet but Anna knew that she was listening. She couldn't tell how much of what she said Elsa understood, but that was fine with her. She was happy just being able to talk to her.

The girl, who had been looking at where Anna was pointing, turned her attention back to Anna. She took hold of Anna's left hand, and tracing the scar that ran across her palm, she murmured, _"__Hvordan fikk du dette arret__?_"

"Hmm?" Anna was enjoying Elsa's cool touch on her palm. "You mean the scar? It happened when I was thirteen. I was practising with one of the knights, who was a little, err, too enthusiastic. He came at me really fast, and I panicked. Instead of meeting his blow with my sword, I tried to block it with my free hand." She chuckled. "Needless to say, father was unimpressed."

"_Gjør det vondt__?_"

Anna considered the question. Obviously she didn't speak Nordian, although she had picked up a couple of words here and there from Elsa. But she could usually gather what the girl meant, based on her body language and some guesswork. "Oh, it doesn't hurt. Sometimes it itches a bit, but it doesn't hurt anymore."

Elsa gazed at her contemplatively, and gently stroked the scar one last time before releasing her hand. At once, Anna missed the contact; her stomach clenched slightly, evoking bittersweet feeling. It was something that she felt more and more often when it came to Elsa.

_What is wrong with me?_

Anna cleared her throat, as though to dispel the perplexing thoughts from her mind, and directed her gaze to the front of the convoy. Ser Kromvik was there, chatting with the soldiers and occasionally letting out a short bark of laughter. The knight's mood had grown cheerier as they approached Stag Hall, and Anna knew why – back at Stag Hall he would be reunited with his wife and children. He had already spent years away protecting Heladonia's southern borders, only returning a few months ago, and Anna thought that it was rather inconsiderate for Lord Henrik to order that Ser Kromvik take on this mission.

Still, she couldn't have asked for a better knight.

Ser Kromvik was known to be valiant and for his formidable skills in combat – after all, he wasn't the Knight of Thorns for nothing. But more importantly, Anna enjoyed his company. He was a naturally jovial man, and humble despite his station in life (she had lost count of the number of pompous knights out there). He also truly cared about her wellbeing, she knew, rather than seeing her merely as the child of his liege.

A light breeze came, lifting the fine strands of Elsa's hair to caress Anna's face. Anna luxuriated in the warm feeling it brought her, and since the other girl was preoccupied with enjoying the scenery, took the opportunity to study her closely, as she had done many times before. Elsa looked much better now as compared to when they first met, her slightly hollow cheekbones filling out and gaining a rosier complexion. There were, however, dark circles under her eyes. Perhaps she was not used to sleeping on the hard ground?

_Perhaps she is a princess? _

Anna resisted chuckling. A princess!

"Elsa," she called, and the bright blue eyes that reminded her the ocean swiveled in her direction. "Are you tired?"

Elsa shook her head, but at the same time she begin to yawn.

Anna chortled as the girl tried to stifle her yawn unsuccessfully. "Your body doesn't seem to agree with you," she said. "We've still a few more hours before lunch, so if you want to you can, umm, lean on me and take a rest."

When Elsa made no reply, Anna thought that she didn't comprehend what she said, so she pointed to her shoulder and repeated, "You—you can lean on me and sleep." But Elsa continued gazing at her, until Anna began to regret making such an offer. Her cheeks started to heat up.

"Umm—"

Then Elsa shifted in her seat, moving closer to her. As she rested her head against Anna's shoulder, she thought that her heart was going to leap out of her chest. She desperately tried to calm it down. How do you calm a madly beating heart?

_Stop. Being. Weird. Anna! _

Anna resorted to staring straight at the road ahead. Her body eventually relaxed, and she was finally able to appreciate the sensation of the girl cuddling against her. Elsa's eyes were closed, and her warm breaths puffed slowly against her neck. Even under the hot sun, her skin remained dry and cool. Anna couldn't describe how it felt having Elsa against her. It just felt… right.

Without thinking, she tightened her arms around the girl.

* * *

The journey went along smoothly, and as they came closer to their destination they met more fellow travellers on the road. Most times Anna would tip her head slightly in greeting and give a small smile; but sometimes the traveller would recognize Anna and call out to her. In such instances she would stop her horse and have a chat with the traveller, regardless of whether he was a peasant or a noble.

Of course, the travellers would not fail to notice Elsa, being intrigued by her beauty and her familiarity with the daughter of the Lord of Arendelle. But when they realised that her hands are bound in a strange lock, their looks of admiration would change to one of confusion.

"We're on official business," Anna would say in response to the inquiring looks, and subsequently she decided to drape a piece of cloth over the oblong lock to save Elsa from further unease. She thought it was a fine solution, and indeed, the plan worked well for the next two hours, until she came across a farmer.

"Ah, Lady Anna, I see a fair lady with you. Mayhap she is your future bride?"

Anna nearly choked.

She dared not speak to Elsa or even look her in the face, for if she did, her head may simply explode from awkwardness.

* * *

After a more-exhausting-than-usual day of riding, the group made camp on the open ground next to Lake Zelfer. Anna dragged her tired body into the tent and all but collapsed on the blanket. She flipped onto her back and watched Elsa enter the tent after her. "I'm so tired…" she groaned.

Bending her head to avoid the low ceiling, Elsa's lips quirked in amusement.

Anna continued to whine, pulling at the collar of her shirt in annoyance. "I'm serious! I've been riding nonstop for almost a month, and I haven't had a proper bath since I don't know when. I would kill for some hot water right now…"

Then, an idea struck her.

"Oh, I know," her eyes glinted mischievously, "I'm going to take a bath."

Elsa's curious gaze trailed after her as she got up from the blanket and went to rummage in her bag. She took out a towel and a fresh set of clothes, and was about to lift the flap of the tent when she realised Elsa was gawking at her.

Anna lifted an eyebrow. "You want to come along too?"

A short moment later, the two young women were creeping out of their tent. Anna led the way, putting a finger to her lips to tell Elsa to be quiet. She wouldn't want Ser Kromvik or any of the soldiers to find out where they were going.

They headed in the opposite direction of the lake, into the woods. As the foliage was less dense here, the illumination provided by the moonlight was sufficient for them to find their way in between the trees. Anna trudged ahead, occasionally turning around to ascertain that Elsa was behind her, her ears straining for a familiar sound. Finally—

_I hear it! _

"It's right there, Elsa, follow me!" Anna exclaimed as she picked up pace and rushed in the direction of the noise of gushing water. Soon, they came to a clearing, the middle of which was a hot spring.

Anna had never seen a more welcoming sight.

She placed her bundle of clothes and towel on a nearby boulder, and was about to remove her attire when she became conscious of the fact that she wasn't alone. She threw a glance at Elsa, who had seated herself on another boulder.

"Err, umm, I'm just going to—going to get in the water..."

"Could you—could you—"

Elsa gave her an innocent look, which would have been convincing if not for the impish grin that had also appeared on her face.

"_Elsa_…"

Thankfully, Elsa wasn't intent on teasing her further, and politely averted her gaze. Anna turned to face the hot spring and hurriedly took off her shirt. By the time she slipped out of her breeches and her undergarments, her face was burning _so_ _terribly_, even though Elsa was supposedly not looking. To stop herself from panicking further, Anna hastily stepped into the water.

"Ahhhh..." she sighed happily as the warm liquid enveloped her body. The temperature was just right. She used her hands to slowly massage the taut muscles in her arms and thighs, and then, after undoing her braids, sank deeper into the water until she was completely submerged. When she resurfaced, she swept her long hair back with her fingers, and looked past the rising steam to the girl on the other side.

Elsa was watching her quietly, her eyes dark with an inscrutable expression. It was as if there was an invisible force between them, and they held each other's gazes in silence as the seconds ticked by.

Anna's throat had never felt so dry.

"The water is great..." she eventually mumbled.

_Would you like to join me?_

The heat returned to her cheeks. She resisted shaking her head. "Err—umm, I probably shouldn't take too long a bath. I'll get out now." She shifted her position, and the water rippled around her.

Anna's words seemed to jolt Elsa out of her trance, and the latter swiftly turned away. Placing her palms against the rocks, Anna pushed herself out of the water into the cool, humid air. Rivulets flowed down her toned body as she stepped forward to grab her towel, and after drying herself, she put on a fresh set of clothes.

"I'm done," she said, signalling to Elsa that she could turn back around. When Elsa did her eyes had lost that dark and alluring expression, replaced instead by a longing look at the hot spring.

"What is it? You would like a bath too?"

The girl nodded.

Anna frowned, her hands still busy towelling her hair. She knew how yucky it felt going without a proper bath for days, but should she allow Elsa to take a bath? Because that would require her to unlock the shackles and allow Elsa to undress herself wouldn't it, unless she was to do the undressing on her behalf?

_Ah—Bad thoughts! Bad thoughts!_

If it was medically possible to pass out from excessive blushing, Anna was sure that she would be comatose on the ground.

Weird thoughts aside, the question was whether releasing Elsa from the shackles would be a good idea. After all, it _was_ said that she had slayed seven men with her bare hands...

But she wouldn't hurt her, would she? She saved her. And she, in turn, trusted her.

_Oh, __Ser Kromvik is going to be absolutely livid if he finds out about this._

Exhaling heavily, Anna gave Elsa a small smile. "Alright..."

And the jubilant expression on Elsa's face wiped out the rest of her reservations entirely.

She stepped forward, fishing in her pocket for the small key that would unlock Elsa's shackles. Ser Kromvik and her each kept one key, although she was sure the knight was most reluctant for her to have it. For good reason too, as Anna was going to prove.

"You're not going to run away now, are you?" she joked, as she positioned the intricately designed key at the entrance of the keyhole. Elsa shook her head solemnly. "Okay, here we go..."

A twist of her fingers, and the shackles cracked open. Anna held onto the device as Elsa pulled her hands from its grasps. Flexing her wrists and rubbing the slightly reddened skin, the girl broke into a smile as she looked up at Anna.

Anna wasn't even aware she had been holding her breath. Her heart rate picked up rapidly while Elsa stretched her stiff hands. What if she really knew magick? Was Anna going to be turned into a human popiscle?

Much as Anna believed that Elsa wouldn't hurt her, the tiny voice of doubt remained at the back of her mind. So when Elsa held her hands out towards Anna, she squeezed her eyes shut—

And felt the comforting touch on her cheeks.

Elsa had cupped her palms around her face and when Anna opened her eyes, the girl was looking at her with such fondness that it caused her heart to ache.

"_Takk_," she breathed, before placing a kiss on Anna's forehead.

* * *

_Taking a bath shouldn't be such a nerve-wracking experience_, was Anna's mournful thought as she sat rigidly on the boulder, with her back facing the hot spring. She heard a splash, and immediately restrained herself from spinning around to look; she wasn't going to make the same mistake again.

Elsa's kiss earlier had made her feel all sorts of... _feelings_, though it ended as abruptly as it happened. Before Anna could figure out whether she was dreaming, the girl had walked to the edge of the water and started taking off her clothes. Anna was so shocked she nearly tripped as she scrambled to face the other direction.

Maybe it was her imagination, but she could have sworn that she heard Elsa giggle.

Regardless, Anna had fidgeted with her hands as she lowered herself to sit on the same boulder that Elsa had perched on earlier. Drumming her fingers restlessly on her thighs, she suddenly heard a loud splattering sound. Out of pure instinct, she twisted her head around to check if Elsa was fine.

And oh, she was fine. She was _very_, _very_ fine.

The girl was in the midst of stepping into the hot spring, giving Anna a generous view of her back. The surface of the water undulated with her languid movements, and the moonlight spilling through the forest canopy reflected off her ivory skin, detailing her svelte waist, her long legs, and the curve of her hips.

She was like Vanne, the Goddess of Water.

Anna's mind shut down completely. And she might have remained in that state, with her jaw on the floor, if not for Elsa inclining her head over her shoulder.

"Anna?"

_Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit!_

Anna had jerked her body around with such force that she thought she might have sprained her neck or something. In any case, it brought her to her current predicament – sitting on the boulder like a stone statue.

She shouldn't have brought Elsa along after all.

"_Jeg_ _er_ _ferdig_," came Elsa's voice from behind her. Upon hearing the lilting voice, Anna tensed further and gulped.

"You're done?" She'd better make sure.

"_Ja._"

"Okay..." Anna slowly shifted her position on the boulder.

Only to see a very, very fine _and_ naked girl.

"E—EL—ELSA!"

* * *

After Anna had admonished Elsa for the prank and for sending her blood pressure skyrocketing (she didn't actually mention the second point, but still), the two girls sat in companionable silence beside the water, their chins lifted as they admired the night sky.

There were thousands upon thousands of stars out there, and at this very moment they were like tiny jewels, glittering in the darkness. Anna could make out the various constellations clearly – there was _Neva_, the firebird, _Miro_, the saint, _Aourvent, _the warrior whose heart was shattered into a million pieces by _Elenaise_, the maiden...

It was magical.

And when Anna thought of this she thought of Elsa. She would eventually have to put the shackles back on the girl, much as she loathed doing so. But first…

"Elsa," she whispered, "can you show me magick?"

Anna lowered her gaze to Elsa, who was staring at her in absolute shock. She had more or less expected this reaction, and continued evenly, "I know you can… do magick… and I would like to see it. Can you show it to me, please?"

Elsa frowned, uncertainty clouding her eyes like whirlpools. "_Men jeg—_"

"It's fine. I promise I wouldn't tell Ser Kromvik or the others. Show me, please?"

To ease the anxiety that Elsa seemed to be having, Anna took Elsa's hands in hers and gave her most winning smile. The girl's expression wavered, and at last, she caved. She slowly slipped her right hand from Anna's grasp, holding it out in front of her with her palm spread open.

What Anna saw next was something that she would not forget for the rest of her life.

The temperature around them had dropped dramatically, but Anna barely registered it, even as goosebumps appeared on her skin. Her heart jolted when the air above Elsa's palm glowed blue, before gradually taking on the form of a translucent column of light, twisting and swirling like a gentle tornado.

Just as Anna was about to reach out and touch it, however, Elsa clenched her palm into a fist, and the light was gone. She parted her lips to protest; but Elsa twisted her wrist and flicked her palm upwards, and at once, there was—

"Snow..." Anna muttered as she watched the snowflakes fall from above.

They had appeared out of thin air, and she reached out with her hands, unable to believe what was happening. Yet when the ice crystals landed on her, they sent a pleasant chill through her warm skin. It didn't matter that it was summer. It didn't matter that it was a cloudless night.

They were real.

The snow continued to fall, and soon the ground was covered in patches of white. Anna was enraptured. And even though she had conjured the magick, Elsa seemed similarly fascinated by the sight, her eyes shining with wonderment at her own creation. As Anna quietly imprinted in her memory the image of the beautiful girl in the snow, she recalled her conversation with Ser Kromvik two days before.

"_Lady Anna, if the girl is indeed from Nordsgarde, she is likely to possess the ability to conjure magick." _

"_And what you are trying to say is…?"_

"_Be wary of her, my lady__, __f__or the root of magick is evil." _

"_You sound like my father." _

"_Lord Henrik is right." _

"_I disagree. Magick is not inherently evil. Magick is neutral; it all depends on the wielder." _

"_But how c__an__ you say that, my lady? Are you saying that the magick that this girl conjures is not evil? That even though she might have killed seven men, it is not evil?" _

A silver snowflake drifted in the air, entangling itself in Elsa's golden strands. Anna broke into a smile.

"No… it is amazing."

* * *

**A/N:** Hello everyone, me again. Thanks for the awesome reviews, favs and follows, they're very much appreciated and keep the cogs in my brains moving, moving, moving.

This chapter was pretty much fluff, but well, enjoy while it lasts... ;)

Until next time!


	4. Fire and Ice

**A/N: **Happy Toooooosday! Thank you, all you nice people out there who reviewed, faved, and followed the story. This chapter is for you :)

* * *

**Chapter 4: Fire and Ice **

They were less than two days away from their destination.

The long road had wound back into the forest shade, and soon, it would commence its gentle ascent up Gallant Hill before finally ending at the castle located at its peak – Stag Hall. Ser Kromvik whistled a happy tune as his horse trotted beside Anna's. "We'll be there by sundown tomorrow," he remarked, twirling the end of his moustache.

Anna merely gave a somber nod in return.

The men's mood had visibly brightened as they neared the castle, relieved that the journey was at last coming to an end. But not Anna. She, instead, was confronted with mixed emotions at their impending arrival at her family home. On one hand, she was looking forward to seeing her father, Kristoff and the others, but on the other hand…

_What is going to happen to Elsa?_

She didn't know, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to know.

After that night by the hot spring, when Elsa showed off her magick, Anna was struck by the realisation that what the townsfolk said might be true. Throughout their journey she had clung on to the hope that perhaps there was a serious misunderstanding, that Elsa could not have killed seven men with her bare hands… But that possibility was becoming increasingly real.

Did Elsa kill seven men? And if she did, why?

"Are you alright, my lady?"

Anna blinked, before turning her head towards Ser Kromvik. "Ah—yes, I'm fine, Ser." It was either that she was looking evidently troubled, or the knight was able to read her mind. She would go with the first choice, since her father had always said that she was one to wear her heart on her sleeve. Although this did make things a little troublesome at times.

She set aside her gloomy thoughts and flashed him a small smile. "You must be pleased to be returning home, Ser Kromvik, and I'm sure Lady Kromvik and your children would be, too."

At the mention of his family, the Knight of Thorns beamed. "Mighty pleased I am, Lady Anna." He then gave a good-natured wink, adding, "Though I'm not saying that I didn't enjoy your company."

Anna chuckled. "It's fine, Ser. How old are your children now?"

"Well, Pip and Saddie are almost thirteen and twelve, while the twins, Toshe and Sonia are seven. My youngest, Vin, is five, but he acts like he's turning fifteen, bossy little brat he is." The laugh lines around Ser Kromvik's eyes deepened as he proudly counted off his brood.

"Your family sounds delightful, Ser Kromvik", Anna said, letting out a wistful sigh, "I wish I had brothers and sisters too…" Her mother had passed away when she was just a toddler, and Lord Henrik never remarried.

Given the limited time she had with her, Anna's memories of her mother were little and fuzzy, and she couldn't really say that she missed her dearly. Sometimes she wondered if it would be better for her father to find a companion for himself, and why he hadn't done so. But then it was said that House Arendelle was made up of hopeless romantics, and while she found it difficult to imagine how her stoic father would fit into that mould, she supposed that his unwillingness to take a new wife was proof that the saying was true.

In any case, though Anna did not feel particularly lonesome while growing up, as she could play with the children of the knights and masters that resided on the castle grounds, there were times when she did wish that she had a sibling. She wished that she had someone whom she could explore the castle with, and discover all its secrets. She wished that there was someone whom she could bicker with and fight with for the last piece of chocolate, someone who would comfort her when she was feeling down, someone who would always be there for her…

Ser Kromvik patted her on the back in a fatherly manner. His smile was warm and comforting. "You may not have any siblings, my lady, but Lord Henrik loves you very much, as do many others at Stag Hall."

Anna hummed, chewing on the knight's words. She contemplated cracking a joke or two about her straitlaced father, but she knew that what he said was true, and she was grateful for it. "Thank you, Ser," she said. "And thank you for accompanying me on this trip." Having travelled together for a month, Ser Kromvik had become almost like an uncle to her, and for that she was glad, too.

The knight was still smiling. "It was my pleasure, Lady Anna. Though I do hope it will be one of my last missions away from home. I'm an old man now, and I would prefer to live out the rest of my days in peace and quiet with my family."

Anna didn't think that he was old in the least, but she understood what he meant.

"I'm sure you will, Ser Kromvik, I'm sure you will."

* * *

They had been riding since dawn, and the sun had crawled almost midway across the sky when Ser Kromvik decided that the convoy should take a break. Smoothly dismounting her horse, Anna held out her arms to help Elsa to do the same. The girl had been even quieter than usual that morning, and Anna wondered if she was also feeling distressed.

That wouldn't have been unexpected, after all.

After tying her horse to a tree, Anna took her water skin and led Elsa to a large clearing nearby. The area was carpeted in verdant grass and patches of colourful flowers, and the sight lifted Anna's heavy heart, if only for the time being.

She plopped herself on the ground, stretching out her legs and patting the spot beside her to signal Elsa to sit as well. The latter silently acquiesced, bending her knees to the side to slowly lower herself onto the lawn. How she could make a simple movement look so elegant was something Anna could never cease to be fascinated by.

Drawing her knees to her chest, Anna tilted her head to watch the floating clouds above. She wished that her worries could drift away like they did; but reality was far less straightforward.

It was time for the difficult questions.

"Elsa," she called softly, and without having to look she could feel the familiar eyes on her. Nevertheless she turned to meet the cerulean gaze that she had grown so fond of, and had gotten lost in more and more frequently.

Every time she looked into Elsa's eyes, her chest would tighten in a strange but wholly pleasant manner. Anna might not be the sharpest knife in the drawer when it came to affairs of the heart, but she had some inkling of what might be happening to her, even if she was not ready to admit it yet.

Which was precisely why these questions were important.

She took a deep breath. "Did you… kill seven men?"

A look of shock and dismay flitted across Elsa's face. Nonetheless, she did not shy away from Anna's inquiring gaze, and after what seemed like forever, she nodded.

Anna's heart plummeted, despite having prepared herself for the worse case scenario. But still, she must press on.

"Why, Elsa?" Her voice was almost a whisper. "Why?"

"There must have been a reason?"

However, the girl was no longer willing to answer her questions. She twisted her head to the side, her expression guarded like closed book. It was the way she appeared when they met at the crossroads of Summerfield.

It only made Anna feel worse.

_Why won't you tell me?_

She wanted so much to grab her shoulders and shake her, to compel her to explain why she had decided to murder seven men in cold blood. But it would be of no use, she knew. Elsa was as stubborn as she was, perhaps even more. She wasn't going to get anything out of her, especially by way of brute force.

Anna shut her eyes, allowing the sudden flare of anger to ebb away.

No, she could not accept that Elsa was a ruthless murderer. Not the Elsa that she knew. The Elsa that she knew was gentle and kind. She saw wonder in nature and the stars, and even the magick she conjured was beautiful…

There must be a reason, even if she was not willing to tell her.

_There has to be. _

Exhaling lightly, Anna turned to look at Elsa. The girl sat in the same position, her eyebrows furrowed and seemingly lost in her thoughts. Anna reached over to grab her hand, causing Elsa's gaze to dart towards her.

"My father—Lord Henrik—he may be stern, but he is fair and impartial," Anna begun, her thumb rubbing circles on the back of Elsa's hand. "I do not know why you did what you did, but I hope that you did it for a good reason, and I hope that one day you'll trust me enough to tell me why."

If she was to be able to help Elsa, she'll need to uncover the truth, and sooner rather than later.

Her hand still holding on to Elsa's, Anna inclined her body sideways and plucked a flower from the ground with her other hand. She then straightened her back and held the flower in front of Elsa. It was small, about the length of Anna's pinky, and its dainty yellow petals were arranged neatly around a pink center.

"This is Arendonia, a flower native to this region. It blossoms all year round, but especially in summer. They grow in the fields, the forests and the hillsides, and sometimes when they bloom the land would look like its covered in gold."

Elsa was looking at the bright little flower closely, her unhappiness temporarily forgotten. "_Aren…donia?_"

"Yes, Arendonia. And when our knights and soldiers go off to war, they would give it to their loved ones, because of the flower's meaning."

The girl peered at her. "_Hva betyr det?_"

Anna smiled. She raised her hand towards Elsa's ear, gently tucking the flower in her hair. "It means…"

"_I am always with you_."

* * *

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the convoy set up camp for the last time.

While some of the soldiers pitched the tents, the others helped in starting a bonfire in the center of the camp. They had done it many times before, so it took only less than half an hour before a pot of soup was placed to boil on top of the fire.

Anna knew better than to try to "assist" with the cooking by now, hence she and Elsa sat obediently by the edge of the camp as Ser Kromvik cooked up a storm (or more accurately, stirring the soup while barking out orders to the soldiers scurrying around). More than once she imagined the knight transforming into one of the castle's portly chefs, with a white apron, toque and all – perhaps that would be a suitable retirement job?

Just as Anna thought that her rumbling stomach couldn't be any louder, Ser Kromvik announced that supper was ready to be served. The soldiers immediately started dishing out the bowls of soup and the bread rolls, and when the soldier came to Elsa—his name was Roftsen, Anna remembered—he placed the bread roll almost shyly on her hands before running back to join his comrades, who laughed as they slapped him on his back.

After supper, they gathered closer to the fire, and out of the blue Ser Kromvik broke out in a song. His jowls jiggled as he bellowed in a distinctly melodramatic manner, leaving Anna and the soldiers to cheer wildly. The soldiers then joined in the song (which, as usual, was along the lines of someone getting dumped by someone and how he felt he was positively going to _die_), and before long the entire camp was filled with rowdy singing. Anna chortled loudly at Ser Kromvik's attempt to out-sing the rest. Even the corners of Elsa's lips twitched.

When the fire burned low and the men retired to their respective tents, Anna marveled at how they have come a long way, literally and figuratively. Elsa was still considered a prisoner, that much was certain, and soldiers were cautious of her; but at least they have stopped treating her like a lesser being, and more like an enigma. Perhaps it was because they were afraid of retribution from Anna, though she would rather believe otherwise – that they had eventually warmed up to Elsa when they realised from Anna's interactions with her that the girl wasn't a wicked monster.

Anna believed that people are frightened of things only because they do not understand them. If they knew Elsa, they would understand her, and if they understood her, they won't be frightened of her. Her father would be the same.

And with this hopeful thought, Anna returned to her tent with Elsa, and got ready for bed.

* * *

It was past midnight when Anna was awoken.

Her eyes, bleary from sleep, cracked open, and she found herself enveloped in pitch-darkness. She couldn't tell whether the noise was just a figment of her imagination, and was about to drift back into dreamland… until she heard a loud, piercing scream.

"Aurgh—!"

She shot up immediately.

_What is going on?!_

Anna fumbled in the darkness, and finally the lamp was lit. She turned to look at the girl beside her, to see that Elsa was also wide awake, her eyes flashing with trepidation as she stared back at Anna.

"We're under attack!"

There was another shout from outside, and Anna recognised the voice as belonging to one of the soldiers. She sprung into action, pulling on her boots and grabbing her sword. Her heart swelled with panic and a million thoughts raced through her mind.

_What is going on? _

_Who is attacking us? _

_Bandits? _

"Stay here!" she told Elsa, and whipped the flap of the tent aside. She stepped out into the open.

Her blood froze.

Two of the tents were alight in flames, the inferno sending thick plumes of smoke into the night sky. In the dancing shadows, Anna could see that the soldiers were locked in combat with several unknown men who were dressed entirely in black. Other than the hoods covering their heads, the lower halves of their faces were also masked. Anna was at loss as to their identities, or why they have decided to attack the convoy.

_What do they want from us?_

"Lady Anna!"

She heard the familiar voice and spun to her left. "Ser Kromvik!"

The knight was currently fighting four of the men in black, his movements surprisingly nimble as he deflected the blows from their swords. With a growl, he swung his giant sword horizontally, and it caught two of the attackers in the stomach. The force sent them flying backwards onto the ground, but immediately another two men joined in the fray.

Anna rushed to help the knight, drawing her sword quickly from its scabbard. However, before she could reach him, a glint of metal swiped at her from the side. She dodged, and the blade missed her face narrowly. When the sword came at her again, she heaved her sword upwards to meet it, the impact causing her assailant to lose his balance momentarily. Instinctively, she took the chance and slashed down diagonally with her blade; the sharp edge sank into his skin and split his torso open, and the man collapsed in a pool of blood.

It was the first time Anna had killed a man, but she had no time to consider her actions, even as her stomach churned at the sight of the crimson puddle. Another two men came at her and she parried their blows, years and years of rigorous training paying off at this moment as her body seemed to be moving on its own. One of the men managed to deliver a cut to her arm, but it also created an opening for her to plunge her sword into his chest. The other man was similarly dispatched with quickly.

When Anna got to Ser Kromvik, the knight's clothes were drenched in blood, though she was relieved to find that they didn't appear to belong to him. It would also appear that, like Anna, he was caught by surprise by the attack, given that he was not donning his full armour.

Ser Kromvik's face was scrunched up in a grimace, and sweat glistened on his forehead. "Are you alright, my lady?" he asked.

Anna was panting from the fight with the men earlier, and the wound on her arm stung, but she was otherwise unhurt. She forced herself not to think about how her blade had sliced into their bodies. It was like cutting through jelly. It was so easy that she felt sick. "Yes, I'm fine," she replied, "What about you?"

"I'm fi—"

"Ser, look out!"

Ser Kromvik hadn't finished his sentence when a man charged at his back, with an enormous axe raised above his head. He was larger than the rest of the attackers, and even burlier than the knight, and as the axe came down Anna could hear it swishing through the air.

Anna gripped the hilt of her sword tightly as she swiftly swung her sword to block the axe, giving Ser Kromvik the chance to duck. The giant was too strong, however, and while Anna prevented Ser Kromvik's head from being dissected in two, she stumbled backwards and fell onto the ground. Before she could get to her feet, the giant threw the axe downwards again, the blade slamming onto the soil when Anna rolled to her side. Fortunately for her, right as he was about to land the next blow, he jerked back, letting out a cry. The giant twisted his body away from Anna, and she realised that Ser Kromvik had slashed him from the back.

"Run! Anna! I'll take care of him!"

"But—"

"Run! Help the others!"

Upon hearing this, Anna scrambled to her feet and picked up her sword. With one last look at Ser Kromvik trading blows with the giant, she turned, dashing towards the other end of the camp, where most of the soldiers were holding off the attackers.

By then the fire had spread to the third tent, and as the flames licked at the tent's material, the camp was aglow in orange, the flickering light illuminating the frenzied faces of the soldiers and the masked men. Anna joined in skirmish after skirmish, trying her best to keep her men and herself alive. But no matter how many attackers she cut down, more seemed to appear, sprouting like mushrooms after the rain.

_Just how many of them are there?!_

Much as the soldiers in the convoy were selected from Arendelle's elite forces, and were excellent swordsmen in their own right, the enemy's numbers was threatening to overwhelm them. Anna watched in horror and grief as the attackers struck some of the soldiers down, and she herself was subjected to several close calls of death.

She couldn't understand why this was happening.

She fought one of the attackers into submission. "Who are you and why are you attacking us?" she yelled as she wrenched at his collar, with the tip of her sword pointed at his neck. "Answer me!"

But the man didn't respond. His eyes rolled upwards as he went into a spasm, and then suddenly he went still.

His body was as cold as ice.

Shocked, Anna dropped the lifeless body.

However, it also reminded her of something else.

_ELSA!_

* * *

When she finally remembered that she had told the girl to stay in her tent, sheer terror overtook her. She raced across the camp, not caring whether anyone would strike at her.

She should never have left Elsa alone.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

Anna was almost at her tent when a man came at her, and because her mind was preoccupied, her reaction was too tardy. She dodged aside, evading what would have been a fatal blow, but the sword pierced into her shoulder. A sharp pain ripped through her body, and she stifled a cry. Ignoring the burning wound, she angled her torso sideways to give her arm range to thrust her sword into the man's stomach. The assailant fell down with a grunt.

"Unngh..."

She gritted her teeth as she pulled the man's blade from her shoulder and tossed it aside. Blood began pouring out of her injury; nevertheless she staggered forward. The attacker was writhing on the ground, visibly in pain as he whimpered.

Anna lifted her sword and plunged it into his chest.

The man stopped moving.

Clutching onto her blood soaked shoulder and with her heart hammering in her ribs, Anna crossed the final distance to the tent. Her arms were shaking and her knees felt weak as she pulled aside the flap. She looked inside—

It was empty.

"Elsa!" Anna spun around, her gaze scanning the camp frantically for a sign of the girl. "Elsa, where are you?"

Anna had not been greeted with Elsa's dead body in the tent, and for that she was eternally grateful. But the fact that Elsa was missing meant that this did little to assuage Anna's fears, as it didn't guarantee that the girl hasn't come to harm.

If anything happened to Elsa, Anna would never be able to forgive herself.

_If Elsa is not here, where can she be?_

_Think, Anna, think!_

Forcing herself to shut out the violent commotion in the distance, she studied the area outside the tent for clues as to where Elsa might have gone. The semi-darkness made it difficult to see, however, and Anna thought that she was about to drown in despair. But then there was a sudden flare from the burning tents, and as the camp was briefly illuminated she saw.

There was a set of bloody footprints leading into the forest.

The sight sent her head reeling. Without further hesitation, she took her sword and sprinted in the direction of the footprints.

She prayed that they didn't belong to Elsa.

* * *

"Elsaaaa!"

"Elsaaaa!"

Anna's voice was almost hoarse. She tripped over a tree root and crashed onto the ground, but immediately picked herself up and continued walking.

She didn't have any time to waste.

The trail of footprints had disappeared soon after she entered the forest, hence Anna was essentially wandering around blindly. Even then, she couldn't give up. Not when Elsa was possibly lost in the woods, and with a group of deadly assailants on the prowl.

Nonetheless, she had been bleeding for the last twenty minutes, and the loss of blood was taking a toll on her. Her injured left arm, sticky with the blood that had been trickling down from the wound, hung limply at her side. Her vision was also getting increasingly hazy, and she was finding it more and more difficult to navigate the dimly lit forest floor.

Anna's body swayed to the right, and she quickly leaned against a tree for support. She tried her best to steady her ragged breathing, resisting the temptation to collapse once and for all.

"Where are you… Elsa…" she murmured, her eyes getting wet. She had never felt so desperate in her entire life.

_Please be okay, please, please be okay…_

Anna's mind swam with chaotic thoughts, and she felt as if she was going mad. She had stuck her sword in the sand, her knees buckling to slump to the ground, when there was a rustling sound in the distance.

Her head shot up at once. Holding her breath, she listened intently to the noise…

Footsteps!

A sudden burst of strength surged through her veins as Anna launched forward to pursue the source of the sound. She stumbled recklessly, ignoring the cuts and abrasions she was getting from the protruding branches while hurrying through the woods. At last, she caught a glimpse of a dark blue cloak.

"Elsa!" she exclaimed, and the figure ahead turned around. Anna dropped her sword, rushing forward to embrace the girl tightly with her only usable arm. "Thank goodness I found you," she was almost sobbing, "I was so worried!"

She pulled away from Elsa abruptly, her eyes flitting up and down as she checked the other for any injuries. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

Elsa shook her head numbly. Her eyes then widened when she saw the blood on Anna's shirt, and the large gash at her shoulder. "A—Anna!"

But Anna shushed her instantly, as she was alerted by the sound of more footsteps. Heavy footsteps.

This could not be good.

Anna winced as she stuffed her hand into her pocket and withdrew a key. Fingers trembling, she fitted the key into the keyhole and freed the shackles. She then pulled the metal device off Elsa's hands.

Elsa stared at her blankly.

"Go, Elsa, _run_."

The girl blinked, becoming agitated. "_Nei, Anna_—"

A branch snapped in the distance. Anna whipped her head back around, barely keeping her voice from quavering. "Please, Elsa, I might not be able to protect you. Just run, and don't look back."

More branches snapped. Anna could see the dark outlines of the men in black darting between the trees. They were here.

She pushed the girl away from her, grabbing her sword. She tried to grip it with both hands, but her left arm flopped uselessly. She would have to make do with her shaky right hand.

"RUN, ELSA!"

The men were upon her in a flash, and Anna's sword was raised just in time to block the first blow. However, the second blow from the other assailant came before she could recover from the impact, and she could only yell out in pain as the sword drew a line across her stomach.

Anna staggered backwards, the sting from the wound causing her eyes to water. She had scarcely crouched in a defensive stance when the men rushed at her again, their weapons held high. Her gaze flicked quickly to the side. Elsa was still standing there.

_Why isn't she running?!_

Her thoughts were halted in their tracks when the men's swords swiped at her. Their blades clanged loudly as they clashed with Anna's sword, and Anna could feel her muscles screaming as she pushed back against the attackers. In her weakened state, they quickly overpowered her, and she was thrown backwards, smashing into a tree trunk.

"Ugh…"

The collision left her winded, and Anna was hunched over on all fours, struggling to breathe. Her entire body was wracked with pain; she just wanted to curl up and lie still, but…

_Elsa_…

_No... _

_Must_. _Get_. _Up..._

It took whatever remaining strength Anna had to clamber to her feet. The world seemed to spin, and she squeezed her eyes shut, shaking her head before falling to her knees once more. The two attackers stood nearby, watching her warily.

They then took a step towards Elsa.

"ARGH!" Anna pushed off from the ground, charging towards the men with her sword. She swung it at one of them, who countered it with his blade. The other man seized the opportunity to slash at her from the side, and another red gash appeared on her ribs. Anna choked—her lungs felt like they were on fire—but she persevered in dealing blows again and again on the masked men. The men were clearly alarmed by the sudden viciousness in her attacks, and retreated backwards from the assault.

But it didn't last long. It took just one mistake (she was struggling to breathe, and lost sight of the enemy's blade) for the sword to cut into her skin. The whole situation became unhinged, and then they were striking back, leaving lesions all over her body. Anna gritted her teeth, biting her lower lip so hard that it drew blood, however her reaction was getting slower and slower.

At last the attacker shoved his boot into her stomach, and she crumpled onto the floor.

Her vision blurred as she stared at the men, watching helplessly as they made their way to Elsa. The girl had been standing there rigidly the whole time, her face obscured by the shadows. She remained unmoving, even as the men's blades glinted in the darkness, and Anna's throat constricted.

_What are they going to do to her?_

_Are they going to kill her?_

_No, I can't let her get hurt! _

She squirmed on the ground, trying so, so hard to get to Elsa. But her body was completely broken, and no matter how hard she tried it refused to obey her command. The men lifted their swords, the tears welled up in her eyes—

"E—lsa—"

And then the men got down on one knee in front of Elsa, laying their weapons by their sides. "_Tilgi oss for våre sen ankomst, Prinsesse Elsa_."

Time stopped for Anna.

_Prinsesse…? _

Before Anna could process the significance of those words, she was alerted to the presence of another person.

A third man emerged from the depths of the woods, his footsteps strong and powerful. The imposing aura that emanated from him immediately raised goose bumps on Anna's arms, and when he came into the open, her breath hitched.

Unlike the other assailants, the middle-aged man was dressed in white. His coat was decorated with shiny gold buttons, while the blue cloak on his back was fastened around his shoulder with a golden brooch. He had a long mane of hair and a thick beard, and they were so fair that they appeared silver under the moonlight. As he strode across the clearing, all Anna could think of was that he was like a white lion, glorious and magnificent.

The man stopped to peer at Elsa, scrutinising her carefully. He then turned his attention to Anna, his eyes now narrowed with rage, and though she could not tell their colour, they seemed to take on an unearthly glow.

"_Hvordan våger du_…" His voice was like rumbling thunder, seething with barely restrained fury. Anna didn't understand his words, but it didn't matter; the meaning was clear.

He was going to kill her.

"Anna!"

Anna's eyes jolted open – the man had stepped forward and she had squeezed her eyes shut reflexively. She glanced in the direction of the voice, to see a figure standing a short distance away, covered in crimson from head to toe.

"Ser—Krom—vik," Anna breathed. Even speaking was too painful for her.

The knight was panting heavily, his brown hair matted with sweat and blood. Anna could tell that he was badly injured, as his shirt was torn in a few places. But when he saw Anna sprawled on the ground, her body bloodied and mangled, his face contorted in anger.

Letting out a roar, Ser Kromvik lunged at the man in white, his giant sword positioned in front of him. He had scarcely taken a few steps, however, when there was a tremor in the air. Anna opened her mouth, trying to scream for the knight to escape, but it was too late.

A bolt of light flashed from the man, striking Ser Kromvik in the head and causing him to lurch backwards. As he sailed through the air, frost crystals erupted from the wound, claiming the rest of his body in a blink of an eye.

He fell to the ground with a loud crack.

_No!_

Anna writhed, her hand pawing outwards as she tried to crawl towards the knight. "Ser… Kromvik…" she gasped, but the knight lay motionless on the floor. His skin had a bluish tint, and his eyes were glassy.

He was dead.

"No… No…"

"_For en dumhet_."

Anna twisted her head around, and saw the man—Ser Kromvik's murderer—staring at the fallen knight in distaste. His gaze flicked towards Anna.

"_Nå er det din tur til å dø_," he spat, and the air quivered once more. The same ball of light that killed Ser Kromvik re-manifested itself, its luminous tendrils coiling around the man's palm. Anna clenched her fist.

"_Nei, la meg gjøre det_."

She recognized that voice. Sure enough, Elsa stepped out from the shadows, her face devoid of any emotion as she stared at Anna. She stretched out her palm, and at once, the familiar blue vortex materialised.

It spun faster than Anna had ever seen.

And as the girl threw her arm forward, as the spiralling blue orb hurtled towards Anna, as everything exploded in white light—

There was no warmth in her eyes. Only ice.


	5. Recollections Part I

**A/N:** Hi guys, just want to start off by saying a big THANK YOU to all those who left a review. I had a good chuckle reading them (but I'm not evil I swear...) Also, a special shout out to **Malad**, who was very kind to help me with correcting the Norwegian phrases. I think that the Nordic languages are really cool :D

Annnnd, I know that you are eager to move on with the story, and trust me, I'm _dying _to, but I think it's time for Elsa to tell her side of the story.

I had a really hard time writing this chapter T.T Hope you'll enjoy it.

* * *

**Chapter 5: Recollections Part I**

She stood by the window, her palm pressed against the cold surface as she stared at the view outside. It was raining again.

How many days has it been? She had lost track of time. The only thing that was certain was that the skies have been consistently grey, and from time to time they would decide to open up, allowing the heavy droplets to descend from above.

As water cascaded down the floor-to-ceiling windows, she felt as if she was behind a waterfall. That might explain why the world seemed blurry, even though it could not explain the wetness on her cheeks.

_Conceal. Don't feel. Don't let it show. _

The rush of the water was loud, but still it couldn't drown out her thoughts.

"Anna…"

* * *

Elsa, the crown princess of Nordsgarde, loved stories. But most of all, she loved stories regarding the five kingdoms.

It started when she was six.

She had always liked to read, it being a habit that her parents had fostered as long as she could remember. Other than attending lessons with her various masters, much of her time was spent roaming the enormous library in the royal palace, digging up books and struggling to make sense of them.

One day, while scouring through the musty tomes, she discovered a book tucked in a remote corner of the library. The leather bound book was old and its pages were yellow and wrinkled, but in contrast to the other boring tomes on the shelves, it had pictures. She was immediately captivated.

_Myths And Legends Of The Lands Beyond The _Sea, it was called, and despite not being able to understand every word written inside, she was glued to it. The book contained tales on the wrath of gods, the heroic deeds of men, and the gigantic beasts that used to roam the earth; things that were far more interesting than what her book masters taught her. She continued to read in the library for the rest of the day, and so lost was she in the world of might and magick, that she even missed supper.

That was her undoing, however.

"Elsa."

She lifted her head, to see her father standing in front of her. King Magnus had all the distinguishing traits of the Nordvinter family – a pair of bright blue eyes and light blonde hair which, depending on the lighting, alternated between shades of white and gold. He also had a strong and sturdy physique, and he looked so tall and big to Elsa back then that she often thought that he was a giant. A friendly giant, of course.

The king wore an amused smile as he peered at his daughter. "What's my little princess doing here?" he said, "Don't you know that it is supper time?"

It was then that Elsa realised that her stomach was growling. Nevertheless, her chubby cheeks squeezed upwards to reveal a toothy grin, and she pointed excitedly at the book resting on her lap.

"Look at what I found, papa," she exclaimed, "a book with pictures!"

Her antics caused her father to chuckle. "What pictures?" he asked as he bent forward to take a look.

And the smile on his face twisted into a frown.

Jolting upright, he snatched the book from her hands, the sudden change in his mood leaving Elsa flustered. He growled, "You're not supposed to read this."

"But—"

He marched over to the fireplace, and as Elsa watched in astonishment, he tossed the book into the flames. When he turned around, his eyes were flashing with anger.

"Go back to your room. _Now_."

Despite not knowing why her father was so displeased, Elsa quietly obeyed and returned to her bedchamber. The book was swallowed up by the blaze.

There was no supper for her that night.

* * *

The following morning, Elsa practically jumped out of bed. She hastily washed up and had breakfast with her parents, her hands fidgeting all the time. When she was finally allowed to take her leave, she made a beeline for the library, eager to search for another book on the lands beyond the sea.

She didn't expect, however, to run into the servants carting away a pile of books.

"Where are you bringing these books, Paulie?" Elsa queried one of the maids, a girl who was still in her teens. The latter was carrying a mountain of books stacked so high that she could hardly see where she was going.

Realising that the princess was beside her, the maid quickly curtised. "Oh, your highness," she sputtered, trying to keep the wobbling stack of books from toppling over, "his majesty wants all the books on the five kingdoms to be taken away and burnt."

Upon hearing this information, Elsa recalled what had happened the previous evening, and how distressed she was when the storybook went up in flames. Her brows curved downwards as she peered up at Paulie anxiously. "The five kingdoms? Are those the lands beyond the sea?"

The maid was thrown off by the question, but just then, the royal butler approached. A stout man, Kai was dressed in his usual uniform of a dark blue coat, with a white handkerchief tied smartly around his neck. He was in charge of everything relating to the royal household, and that apparently included the collection and destruction of books on the orders of the king. After tiptoeing to add another book to the pile carried by Paulie (much to the maid's chagrin), he turned to Elsa.

"What's the matter, your highness?" he asked kindly.

Elsa repeated her question, and Kai straightened his back. Creases appeared between his brows. "Well, there are many seas, Princess Elsa…" he replied lamely. When he saw the disappointment on her face, though, he added, "But the five kingdoms would be the ones that are nearest to Nordsgarde. They are just across the Andaic Sea."

At this, Elsa's expression brightened. "Oh yes, the _An_—_dak_ Sea!" she said happily, and then paused to shoot Kai a look of horror. "But why is papa burning them?"

"Umm, I'm not sure, your highness... but those are his majesty's orders..."

"But I want to read them!"

"I apologise, Princess Elsa—"

Before Kai could complete his words, unfortunately, Elsa threw a fit, her six year old self momentarily forgetting her manners in favour of protecting the precious tomes. She cried and cried in the hallway outside the library, hot tears streaking down her face and ruining her dress.

Needless to say, Kai and the maids were aghast. Other than the fact that they were at loss as to why the usually well behaved princess was kicking up a fuss over some old books, Elsa was doted upon by the palace staff, who loved her for her sweet and gentle disposition. She was, for the lack of a better description, treated like a _princess_.

And so when Kai was unable to pacify her, he surrendered, allowing Elsa to sneak some of the books into her bedchamber. Luckily for Elsa, neither he nor the maids told her father about this incident.

Elsa quickly learnt not to let her parents find out about the books she had saved.

The royal butler would also eventually become her accomplice in this silent revolt against King Magnus's wishes.

* * *

Over the next seven years, Elsa read and re-read the books that she had stashed away in her bedchamber. She hid them at the bottom of a wooden trunk, covering them with layers of clothes and whatnot. The trunk itself was secured with a padlock and stowed under her bed. The only one who knew about this secret was Kai.

As she grew older, she started delving into those tomes that she had deemed to be "incomprehensible" before. The books that she had saved from the library not only consisted of picture books and literature, but also of treatises on various subjects concerning the five kingdoms. That said, the storybooks remained her firm favourites, and she treasured them more than any of her other possessions.

For reasons unspoken to Elsa, her book masters never mentioned anything about the five kingdoms in their lessons, notwithstanding their supposed proximity to Nordsgarde. They only grudgingly acknowledged their existence after she had asked them about it pointblank, and even then they had clammed up on the subject and steered the conversation elsewhere. No matter how she pestered her book masters, not a further word was uttered on the topic.

The same thing happened with the palace staff who, save for Kai, all claimed that they did not know anything about the five kingdoms. And while Kai was willing to talk to her about them, his insight was extremely limited. After all, no person from Nordsgarde had travelled to the five kingdoms for many years. Or so it seemed, at least.

As for asking her father, that was an even trickier issue. His disdain for any discussion regarding the five kingdoms was apparent; in fact, it was quite evident that he was the one prohibiting such discussions in the first place. It was apparent, too, that his patience with Elsa was wearing thin, if the increasingly piercing glares that she received every single time she dared to raise the topic were anything to go by. Given that King Magnus bore the infamous short temper that had plagued the long line of White Kings and Queens before him, Elsa was unwilling to risk his wrath by probing him further.

That meant that the sole person she could turn to was her mother, Queen Sofie. The queen was a beautiful woman, her jet black hair and hazel eyes contrasting sharply with the characteristic features of the ruling family of Nordsgarde. She was not royalty by birth but the daughter of one of Nordsgarde's army generals, yet there was an air of sophistication and elegance about her that could rival any noble. Elsa adored her mother and saw as her role model.

However, Queen Sofie was equally evasive when it came to the five kingdoms.

Elsa had made numerous attempts to broach the topic, until one night, when her mother finally said—

"I'm sorry, my dear, but I promised your father that I wouldn't talk to you about them."

It would be inaccurate to say that Elsa was surprised by the response, even though she was still crestfallen. "But why, mother?" she asked, peering into the mirror to look at the queen, who stood behind her with a hairbrush in hand.

Queen Sofie let out a sigh. "Your father has your best interests at heart," she murmured, combing the hairbrush through her daughter's silky hair, before continuing in an even softer voice, "Although sometimes I wonder if he knows what he's doing." While she was presumably talking to herself, the words didn't escape Elsa's ears.

Elsa pulled at the material of her nightgown irritably. The mystery surrounding the five kingdoms was driving her insane. "I don't understand, mother," she grumbled. "Father could just tell me why…"

"Actually, he will."

Elsa's twitching fingers halted as hope sprung in her heart. "He will? When?"

Her mother was still combing her hair, and a small smile adorned her face. "He said that he will tell you everything when you are of age. When you are twenty-one."

"Twenty-one?" Elsa's eyes widened. She was just thirteen, and twenty-one seemed like a billion light years away. But there was nothing she could do but wait.

* * *

By the time Elsa was sixteen, a new idea had taken root in her head.

She wanted to visit the five kingdoms.

Having read the books so many times that she almost committed their lines to heart, she had acquired significant knowledge on the five kingdoms. Though admittedly that knowledge was rather patchy, being dependent on the type of books she had in her collection.

She had books on all sorts of random and obscure subjects, and it was up to her to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. What she clearly gathered, nonetheless, was that the five kingdoms were made up of Jholsberg, Isiv, New Calencia, Syros and Heladonia, and together they formed the continent of Naultica.

She knew that the smallest of the five kingdoms was Jholsberg, which was situated at the north-eastern tip of Naultica. Its capital, Belstein, sat near the rocky coast of Papova, and the main economic activity of the kingdom was fishing. As Belstein used to be a fortress of the ancient Kalatov Empire, it was said that the castle of the royal family was surrounded by a moat so deep that it harboured strange creatures.

South of Jholsberg, and a few times larger, was Isiv, the Old Kingdom. The history of Isiv stretched back for thousands of years, far before any of the other four kingdoms were established, and it was commonly regarded as one of the cradles of civilisation. Its capital, Yelva, was the birthplace of the Yesil religion, and it was a rite of passage for the children of the rulers of the various kingdoms to spend some of their formative years studying under the tutelage of the Isivian masters.

Isiv was bordered on the west by Syros, and on the south by New Calencia. But where Isiv was steeped in tradition, New Calencia embraced modernity. The kingdom, which had been converted to a republic, was governed by a council of men elected by the people rather than a monarchy. It occupied almost the entire coast of Lothern that ran along the southern edge of Naultica, and due to its strategic location near the seas of Grimsworth, it enjoyed a bustling trade with several kingdoms, including the far eastern kingdom of Xi'en. Naturally, the Calencian navy was known to be a formidable force to be reckoned with.

Syros, the other kingdom located next to Isiv, was also the largest of the five kingdoms. It was a landlocked country in the middle of Naultica, with the Red Desert covering a sizeable part of the region. Not much was written about Syros in the books, save that its people were nomads and were known for their hardiness and horse-riding skills.

Last of all, stretching top-down across the western part of Naultica was Heladonia, the second largest of the five kingdoms. For the most part of history, the territories now known as Heladonia were controlled by warring factions, until King Tolsford the First defeated the feuding warlords and united the land. The kingdom was said to be unrivalled in terms of its splendid scenery, which included the grandiose Tolsford Mountains, the stunning Lake Zelfer, and the vast rolling plains of Rosenfield. And all of these could be found in the province of Arendelle, named after the family that has taken care of that realm for generations – House Arendelle.

King Magnus didn't allow Elsa to travel abroad, and indeed, she was hardly even permitted to venture out of the palace. The furthest she had gone was to the towns near the Isfjell glaciers, where it was so cold year round that they seemed to be stuck in a never-ending winter. In fact, she wondered if she knew how spring, summer and autumn truly looked like, for the terrain in Nordsgarde was primarily made up of whites, blues and greys, and did not have the lush greenery or blooming flowers described in the books on the five kingdoms.

As Elsa was cooped up in her residence most of the time, the books became her main outlets for escaping the boredom of palace life. From time to time she would dream about travelling to those distant lands. How marvelous would it be, experiencing the beauty of these places first hand?

Irrespective of what his rationale may be, her father's disapproval only stoked her desire to get out and see the world.

* * *

And it all came to a head on Elsa's eighteenth birthday.

The palace was in a festive mood; decorations were put up in the halls, and a special feast was prepared for the royal family. Queen Sofie had a new dress tailored for Elsa just for the occasion, and when evening arrived, her handmaidens came to help her put it on.

Elsa stood impassively in front of the full length mirror as the servants fussed around her. She was almost a grown woman now, her figure filling out nicely, and the well fitting (albeit, modest) dress only accentuated those features. Her erstwhile chubby cheeks had also lost their plumpness, leaving her with high cheekbones and a defined chin. While she had her father's eyes and hair colour, she had clearly inherited her mother's more exotic good looks.

When Elsa was done with dressing, the queen popped by for a visit together with Elsa's little brother, Olaf. The young prince was only five, a rather late addition to the family. In spite of the age gap, though, Elsa loved her brother very much, and when she saw him she immediately scooped him up in her arms. The boy giggled and thrashed in the air until Elsa put him down.

She turned to her mother, to see the latter looking at her fondly. "Oh my," Queen Sofie gushed, placing a hand on her chest, "my baby is a beautiful woman now."

Elsa blushed at the compliment. "Thank you, mother," she replied, clutching the smooth fabric of her dress in a rather un-princess like manner. "This is a very pretty dress."

The queen shook her head with a wry smile. "It's not the dress, Elsa, _you_ are beautiful. And I should probably warn your father about this; we'll probably have a horde of suitors banging down our doors soon."

Her mother's words only caused the flush on her cheeks to intensify. She had not really thought about relationships, despite having read more than one tale of love and romance. Was it time for her to deal with suitors? The idea of being married to a prince didn't appeal to her – especially if that meant that she was going to be confined in a palace again.

Elsa did not respond to the queen's remark, and after some final adjustments to her hair, she proceeded to the dining room with her mother and brother.

The silverwares were already laid out neatly on the long mahogany table in the middle of the spacious room, and a line of servants awaited nearby. Queen Sofie seated herself at one end of the table, and Elsa took the seat at the side of the table, opposite Olaf who sat in a high chair.

"Sorry I'm late," came a deep voice, and at once Elsa whipped her head around. King Magnus was striding into the dining room with a broad smile on his face, and he quickly settled into the seat at the head of the table. He gave a signal to Kai, who bowed and gestured to the other servants. Before long, dinner was served.

The meal was even more sumptuous than usual, and included Elsa's favourite dishes. While she enjoyed the delicious creations of the palace's chefs, Elsa had the opportunity to chat with her father, something which had become much rarer in recent years.

As the absolute ruler of Nordsgarde, King Magnus was kept busy handling the affairs of the kingdom. He usually spent the day holed up in his study, and sometimes he would even take his meals there. A few months ago, there was a major accident at one of the mines at Lilabyen, and the resulting mayhem added to his workload. Elsa got to see him even less after that.

It was a shame, because putting aside his animosity towards the five kingdoms, Elsa had a warm relationship with her father. Sure, his temper could be fearsome at times, and the palace staff were generally terrified of him, but she could still remember the times he taught her how to control her magick or read to her before bedtime. Now that they were spending hardly any time together, she could feel them drifting apart.

Regardless, King Magnus seemed to be in a jollier mood than usual. He tucked into his food with gusto, and even cracked a few jokes. Finally, he raised his goblet in a toast.

"To my little princess, on her eighteenth birthday."

The rest of the family raised their goblets as well, although the water from Olaf's cup splashed onto the table.

"Olaf!" Queen Sofie chided, but the young boy just grinned mischievously.

Elsa took a sip from her goblet—her father had allowed her to drink red wine, and she was still getting used to the taste—and placed it lightly back on the table.

King Magnus leaned back on his chair, his head tilted in a relaxed manner. "So, Elsa," he asked, "what would you like for your birthday gift this year?"

Elsa's eyebrows rose. "Gift?"

The king nodded, shifting in his seat and stroking his beard. "You see, I've been a little too caught up with work, so I wasn't able to prepare anything," he explained apologetically, "but I thought you might tell me what you want."

"What I want... I can ask for anything?"

"Anything your heart desires, my dear."

The cogs in Elsa's mind started spinning at once. Her father was in a pleasant mood, and he had actually offered to grant her a wish. It was as good a time as any to ask, wasn't it?

She straightened her posture, her fingers fiddling nervously with the napkin on her lap.

"I would—" She took a deep breath. "I would like to visit the five kingdoms."

King Magnus looked as though someone had just slapped him in the face.

His expression darkened rapidly, and the temperature in the room dropped. "I have said that we will not discuss _them_," he hissed, referring to the five kingdoms as if they were a thorn in his gut.

This only served to make Elsa more frustrated. Why did he hate them so much?

"But—father—"

"_Enough_."

"Father—"

"I said, ENOUGH!" King Magnus slammed his fists on the table, and at once shards of ice sprung up from the ground, stabbing through the hard wood. The table split open with a sharp crack, sending the tableware crashing onto the floor.

Elsa jerked back in her seat. The shards were _this_ close to piercing her.

Olaf was crying.

"Magnus!" Queen Sofie scolded, as she scrambled out of her chair to get to Olaf.

The king's fists remained tightly balled while he stared at Elsa, his gaze threatening to bore a hole in her head. "If I hear this from you one more time, don't you ever think of leaving your room again."

And with that, he stormed out of the dining room.

* * *

Later that night, there was a faint knocking at her door. Elsa flinched.

"Your highness?" a muffled voice sounded from behind the wooden frame, and hearing this she breathed a sigh of relief. She closed the book on her lap, but left it on her bed.

"Come in, Kai."

The door opened, revealing the royal butler. By now, Elsa had surpassed him in height, and as he entered her room his balding head reflected the light from the lamps. The bright yellow spots danced like firebugs on the shiny surface. Elsa stifled a grin; she was a little too old to laugh at such things.

"Are you alright, Princess Elsa?"

His concern wiped out whatever mirth Elsa had earlier, and she thought back on what had occurred during dinner. She had never seen her father so enraged and violent before, and frankly, it frightened her.

"I'm fine, Kai…" she said slowly, "though I am upset that I will never get to visit the five kingdoms."

It was possibly her last chance to obtain her father's blessings to do so, and she had pretty much botched it. But the worst thing of all was that she didn't even know _why_.

Kai exhaled. "I'm sorry about that, your highness." He then started glancing around the room, as if to check whether there was anyone else around.

The strange behaviour piqued Elsa's curiousity. "What's the matter?" she enquired.

When the butler was satisfied that they were indeed alone, he turned his attention back to Elsa. His eyes twinkled as he brought his arms to the front, holding out the package that he had been hiding behind his back. "I have a present for you, Princess Elsa."

Elsa's eyes lit up when she saw the rectangular package in Kai's hands. "Is that—" she started, before eagerly accepting the gift. She forced herself to neatly undo the wrapping rather than ripping it into pieces (which would have been unbecoming of a princess). At last, the book's green leather cover came into view.

Her fingers gently traced over the gold title. _Heladonia: Kingdom Of The Brave_.

She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. "Thank you, Kai, thank you!" she said, giving Kai a hug. The fact that she had a new book to read cheered her up immensely. "This is the best gift ever!"

The royal butler's face was all red when Elsa pulled away from him. He chuckled. "You're welcome, your high—"

"Elsa?"

Both Elsa and Kai snapped their heads towards the door. King Magnus was standing at the doorway. He glanced at the butler, who visibly paled.

"Kai?"

"Your—your majesty," Kai stuttered as he executed a deep bow.

An eyebrow arched upwards, the king made his way into the room. "What is going on?" he asked in an icy tone.

"N—nothing, your majesty, I just wanted to check on the princess—"

Elsa's heart was hammering in her chest; it was so loud that she wondered if her father could hear it. At King Magnus's sudden appearance, she had swiftly hid the book in her hand behind her back. But he continued to walk towards her, and unconsciously, she shrank back against the wall.

When he finally stopped in front of her, his expression was grave. "What are you holding behind you?" he demanded.

Elsa thought that her heart was going to burst. "It's nothing, father—"

However, the king was far from convinced. He spoke through gritted teeth, "_Give it to me_."

Under his intimidating gaze, she had no choice but to obey. Her hands were shaking as she passed the book over.

Glaring at the book, the knot between the king's brows hardened. "What is this—"

"It's just a gift—"

King Magnus's eyes swiveled, and he caught sight of the book on Elsa's bed.

"Father—"

He lunged forward and grabbed the book, his fingers clamping on it so tightly that his knuckles turned white. And then he saw the open trunk lying a short distance away, with its contents on full display.

Flinging the books in his hands into the pile sitting inside the trunk, King Magnus spun around on his heels. Blotches of purple had seeped onto his face, and his eyes were narrowed into slits. "How dare you—how _dare_ you disobey me!"

And when he raised his arm, Elsa knew what he was going to do. She lurched towards the king, clutching desperately at his sleeve.

"No, father, please!"

However, he pushed her aside roughly, and swung his arm. A sudden gust of chilly air blasted through the room, and the entire wooden trunk was encased in a thick layer of ice.

"Father!"

King Magnus twisted his wrist, clenching his fist at the same time. As he did so, there was a loud crackling sound; and then the brittle ice imploded, crushing the chest and its contents to bits.

White crystals drifted in the air.

Elsa gasped. Her knees buckled and she knelt down on the floor. The fragments of her books swirled around her like snow as she grasped at the mound that lay where the trunk used to be.

They were her only source of joy – and now they have been taken away from her.

The tears came hard and fast.

She was too heartbroken to notice King Magnus, or how the creases on his forehead eased while he gazed at his only daughter. He walked out of the room quietly, shutting the door behind him.

As Elsa watched the fine grains slip through between her fingers, she made up her mind.

She was going to run away.


	6. Recollections Part II

**Chapter 6: Recollections Part II**

Almost a month has passed since her eighteenth birthday, when her father destroyed her treasured books and a part of her along with them. In the days that followed, Elsa had next to zero contact with King Magnus – perhaps he was avoiding her, but she most definitely did not want to see him.

It was just as well, too, for the only thing on her mind was planning her escape. Her resolve had been cemented the moment the tomes were turned to dust. Nothing else mattered; not Kai's guilt ridden apologies nor her mother's consoling words.

And as it turned out, it wasn't that hard securing passage to the five kingdoms.

As fate would have it, Elsa had, on one of the previous occasions that she travelled out of the palace, visited the seaside town of Krysjo, which was located at the south-western edge of Nordsgarde. It was meant to be a sightseeing trip, and she had been strolling along the coast with a few bodyguards, when she came across some soldiers pinning a man down on the street.

The scrawny man's clothes were tattered and torn, and he looked so downtrodden that Elsa felt compelled to intervene. She was informed by the soldiers that the man was a wriggler, that was, a person who smuggled goods in and out of the borders of Nordsgarde. The penalty for the offence was death.

After speaking to the wriggler, she found out that his name was Deacon, and that he was born in a village in Frosbyen. His family had been farmers for generations, however, due to the longstanding drought affecting his village, he was forced to earn a living by turning to smuggling. Even as the soldiers held him down with their boots, he begged Elsa to pardon his crime, his dirt stricken face wet with desperate tears.

Elsa was moved. She didn't see why the offence necessitated a death sentence, and in any case, she had always been soft hearted. She not only ordered the men to release Deacon, but also spoke to her father about the drought. The last she heard, King Magnus had discovered that the mayor of Frosbyen had been misappropriating the relief sent from the capital. The mayor was beheaded within a week.

As for Deacon, he was grateful to Elsa for saving his life, and pledged his loyal services in return. At that time, Elsa had accepted his offer with a polite smile, never expecting that she would one day call on his promise.

While Deacon had been flabbergasted by her request to find a boat to ferry her across the Andaic Sea (so much so that he accidentally knocked his drink off the table), he was a man of his word and agreed to assist Elsa. That left the other, and much more difficult, part of the plan – sneaking out of the palace without getting caught.

But once again, it seemed that luck was on Elsa's side. Shortly thereafter there was yet another incident at the Lilabyen mines that required King Magnus's urgent attention. The morning that the monarch and some of his troops left for the troubled town, she kicked her plan into action.

She had already taken some time to strategise and familiarise herself with the comings and goings of the guards, and when the clock struck midnight, she took her bag of belongings and left her bedchamber. Clearly, the guards were more concerned with someone breaking in rather than breaking _out _of the palace, so while there were a few close shaves, and more than a few times when Elsa thought she was going to suffer a nervous breakdown, she was able to creep through the palace and exit through the backdoor of the kitchen. There, Deacon was waiting for her; and he helped her scale over the tall walls with the aid of some rope and a pickaxe, before taking her on a carriage to a jetty at Litenport, where the boat was waiting.

Thus it came to pass that under the cover of the night, Princess Elsa of Nordsgarde left the only home she had known for eighteen years far behind, in search of an adventure in the lands beyond the sea.

* * *

"We'll make land in about an hour, your highness."

Elsa nodded, her hands clutching the wooden rail firmly.

It was the seventh day of the voyage, and she still felt as though she was dreaming. She remained at the bow of the boat, staring into the darkness as the vessel carved a route between the roaring waves.

The boat was not large at all, and indeed, it was compactly built to sail through the waters at high speed. As the wind weaved through her long blonde hair and blew against the single white mast, it surged forward with a steady rhythm. For the first few days of the journey Elsa had been constantly queasy, but now that the sickness has subsided, she derived comfort from the vessel's rocking movements instead.

Bit by bit the sky grew brighter, until at last, she could discern a jagged line in the distance. "Is that Naultica?" she asked, her grip tightening over the rail.

When Deacon dipped his head in reply, she was so overwhelmed that she could hardly breathe.

The next twenty minutes seemed like a decade to Elsa, with the boat slowing down as it approached the rocky shoreline. Eventually Deacon found a quiet spot to dock, and after moving with practised ease to ensure that the boat would not drift away, he turned around to help Elsa disembark.

Elsa was almost trembling with anticipation when she took Deacon's hand. Her feet stepped onto the solid ground.

"Are you alright, your highness?" Deacon said.

And it struck her that she was really here. On Naultica. The land that she had dreamed of for the last twelve years.

The thought sent her mind reeling and she broke in a wide smile.

"I've never been better."

Her expression of delight seemed to put Deacon in a daze, although he quickly recovered. "Wh—where would you be going then, your highness?" he stammered.

Elsa would have shrugged, if not for the fact that it would be unladylike. She cast her gaze about her. They were standing before what appeared to be a forest, and she could see little else. "To be honest, Deacon, I don't really know. I'll go where the road takes me."

At that, she could hear the wriggler sigh. It wasn't the first time he had asked about her plans. He was never in favour of Elsa running off alone to the five kingdoms, and had repeatedly asked her to reconsider her decision. Of course, the answer had been the same every time.

_No_.

Probably realising that Elsa was more stubborn than a mule, Deacon surveyed the area for a while, his forehead wrinkling. He then pointed to the right. "Do you see that path there, under those trees, your highness?" he said. "I would suggest that you keep westwards on that road; you will reach a small village called Merton. From there, if you continue south, you will pass a few towns, Fernsville, Riverton and Hillsvale. All of those towns are connected to a main thoroughfare, the Knight's Path, which will eventually lead to Stag Hall, the castle of the Lord of Arendelle."

"Thank you for the directions, Deacon, I will remember them well," Elsa replied, though she wasn't completely clueless about her surroundings. Prior to leaving Nordsgarde she had prepared a map based on her memory of the geography books she had read. While the map was probably outdated, given the dozens of years that had passed since the books' publication, it was still better than nothing.

Exhaling heavily again, the wriggler took Elsa's satchel from the boat. The leather satchel contained just some clothing and essential items, as she intended to travel light. He passed it to Elsa, his eyebrows deeply furrowed. "Your highness, are you sure—"

Elsa injected, "It's fine, you have helped me more than enough." She knew that Deacon wanted to volunteer to accompany her on the journey, but he did have a family to take care of back in Nordsgarde. And besides, he was already risking a lot in sending her across the sea. Perhaps everything.

Deacon's shoulders sagged when he heard Elsa's response. "In that case…" he murmured as he withdrew the dagger that was tucked in his belt and presented it to her. "Please take this, Princess Elsa."

Elsa's eyes widened. "But—"

"I insist, your highness. For your safety and for my peace of mind."

Seeing the determined look on his face, Elsa knew that Deacon wasn't going to take "no" for an answer this time. She took the dagger from him, the unfamiliar weight of the weapon a physical reminder that she was truly going to be on her own.

The wriggler bowed. "Please take care, your highness."

Elsa smiled. "I will."

* * *

Dawn was breaking as Elsa made her way along the trail highlighted by Deacon. She was not used to travelling such a long distance by foot, but the pure novelty of doing so washed out whatever tiredness she was feeling. That, and the scenery.

As the sun emerged above the horizon, the forest in which she was walking came to life. The golden rays filtering through the canopy showcased the woodland in all of its glory – there were trees in their varied shades of green and brown, vibrant flowers of different shapes and sizes, and even colourful butterflies that fluttered by from time to time. The creatures of the forest also stirred awake with the passing hour, and what began as a solitary whistle or two from birds nestled high up in the trees gradually cumulated in a symphony of sounds, with other birds joining in the singing and insects humming in the background.

It was more beautiful than she had imagined.

Reveling in the serenity of the forest, Elsa could feel the tension in her body slipping away for the first time in days. While she had been convinced that she needed to leave the palace, it didn't mean that voices of doubt did not appear at the back of her head. After all, she had led a comfortable, even sheltered, life at home. Was it really necessary for her to visit some faraway land that she had only read about in the books? Could she survive alone?

On the other hand, her heart told her that it was time to take a gamble. She was a princess, that was clear, but she was also a virtual prisoner. She wasn't contented being stuck in a shell for the rest of her days. She wanted not just to know the world, but _see_ the world.

She wanted so much more.

That said, she was being honest with Deacon when she said she had no idea what she was going to do. She had decided to land in Heladonia simply because of the last tome she had held in her hands. But now that she was here, she would probably explore the land and enjoy the charming scenery that was much lauded in the books. Maybe she would then move on to another place, such as New Calencia or Jholsberg, although she was most interested in Isiv, history being one of her favourite subjects.

Elsa knew that eventually she would return to Nordsgarde. She had told Deacon to pick her up at the same spot three months later, and whatever money she had on her should be able to tide her through in the meantime. It was certain that her father was going to fly into a rage; perhaps he would confine her to her room forever. But at least she would have fulfilled her one and only wish of seeing the five kingdoms.

She paused in her steps to peer at a brightly hued flower poking out from a dense shrub, bending forward to breath in the fresh scent emanating from its center.

_I am not a princess, I am just a traveller._

The thought sent shivers down her spine. She was finally free.

* * *

A week and a half after Elsa arrived in Heladonia, she reached the town of Hillsvale.

The journey had gone smoothly enough; the people of Heladonia were generally courteous, and seemed to be used to having foreigners in their midst, treating her no differently as they would others. Elsa, for her part, tried to keep her presence as unobtrusive as possible, opting for a simple attire of a white dress with a brown bodice. She also wore a dark blue cloak, and would usually draw the hood over her head to keep her conspicuous blonde hair from showing.

In all likelihood her father had come to know about her disappearance by now, and was probably ordering his troops to search the entire kingdom for her. He would not have guessed that she would be so bold as to run away to the very land that he had specifically warned her against going. Even then, it would pay to be more cautious.

It was midday when Elsa arrived at the town. Hillsvale was larger than the last place she had visited—Riverton—and the marketplace was teeming with activity. As she made her way between the stalls, stepping aside from time to time to avoid colliding with the peddlers and workers pulling their carts, she noted the shops and houses that lined the streets. There were shoemakers, bakers, dyers, blacksmiths, and other craftsmen, and it took a while before she found what she was looking for. The townsfolk were so busy with their businesses, they barely batted an eyelid as she passed them by.

Taking a deep breath, Elsa pushed open the door and entered the inn. Summer was here, and the inn's cool interior was a welcome respite from the heat. An elderly man sat behind the counter, his fingers thumbing through what seemed to be a thick ledger. His gaze flicked upwards as Elsa approached.

"Good afternoon," he greeted, his lips curving into a slight smile. "What can I do for you?"

He spoke what was known as the common tongue, but Elsa could understand him perfectly as she had studied it under one of her book masters. This may seem ironic given King Magnus's staunch hostility against the five kingdoms, but then again it probably stemmed from pure necessity – the common tongue was, per its name, commonly spoken in many kingdoms, particularly in the western hemisphere of the world.

Still, Elsa had little practice actually enunciating the language, especially to a native speaker. She was also quite conscious of her accent, which exacerbated her shyness, and thus far she used it only when the situation absolutely called for it.

_You can do this_.

She swallowed thickly. "Room, please." Just two words, but they seemed so strange on her tongue.

The innkeeper nodded, unperturbed by her nervousness. "How many nights?"

"Two." Being constantly on the road was exhausting, but she had a lot of ground to cover and could not afford to linger in one place for too long.

The innkeeper tipped his head again. "I'll show you to your room. This way, please."

He led her to the second level of the inn. The inn was quiet, presumably because it was in the middle of the day. On their way up the innkeeper tried to make some light conversation, but Elsa would merely respond with a nod or a shake of her head. Eventually they reached the end of the corridor, where her room was situated.

Despite being small it was cozy, and the best part was that it offered a view of the bustling marketplace. Pleased, Elsa dropped a coin into the man's palm for her lodgings. After giving her some tips for getting around the town, he bid her a good day, and went back to his ledgers.

He, however, forgot to tell her not to stay out beyond nightfall.

* * *

Clutching the newly acquired books against her chest, Elsa could feel her heartbeat quickening. She was, hopelessly and irrevocably, lost.

She had spent the most part of the afternoon wandering around Hillsvale, which turned out to be even vaster than what she expected. Flitting in and out of the stalls and shops, she observed the townsfolk on their errands and browsed the wares and trinkets on sale. Nothing really caught her eye, until she discovered a bookseller at the end of the street.

In her elation, she had buzzed right into the shop, eager to see what was on offer. But between perusing the secondhand books and deciding what to buy with her limited funds, it slipped her mind that the clock was ticking. By the time the shopkeeper gently reminded her that he was closing for the day, the sun had disappeared beyond the horizon.

When Elsa came out of the shop with her purchases, the streets were dark and empty. She tried to recall the direction in which the inn was located, and retraced her steps. Nonetheless, the town proved to be like a maze in the dim light, and it didn't take long before she realised that she had no idea where she was.

Halting in the middle of a junction, Elsa exhaled slowly in an attempt to calm her frazzled nerves. She peered up at the signs on the buildings; none of them looked familiar. If anything, it appeared that she was in a new part of the town that she hadn't explored earlier. The area looked a lot more rundown, given the broken signs and the shabby houses.

Something told Elsa that she was going in a very_ wrong_ direction. She hastily turned around, and was about to backtrack to where she had come from, when she heard muffled voices from a nearby alley.

Her ears perked right away. She had been looking for someone to ask for directions. She rushed towards the source of the noise, but was abruptly stalled in her steps by a woman's cry.

"Please, I just need more time!"

Instead of running headlong into the alley, Elsa crept towards the entrance and peeked around the corner.

Her blood ran cold at the sight.

A group of five men was surrounding a young woman, who could not be much older than Elsa. Two of the men had her arms pinned against the wall, while a third, a hulking man with a messy stubble, was gripping her roughly by the chin. The remaining two men stood nearby holding torches.

The flickering light cast dark shadows on the men's hard faces. The man with the stubble arched forward with a cruel sneer.

"Listen here, Mari. You said you'd pay. But a moon has passed and I see no money from you. Do you take me for a fool?"

The girl named Mari cowered under his gaze. "I—I'm sorry, Mister Smythe. It—it's just that mama is still sick, and—"

Smythe pushed her head against the wall, causing Mari to yelp in pain. "Oh, shut your trap. I ain't interested in your miserable life. I just want my money back." He glanced at one of the men holding the torches. "Get me the knife, Alf."

The man he was talking to instantly whipped out a pocket knife and passed it to Smythe, who waved it lazily in front of Mari. "What should I do, Mari?" he drawled. "Maybe I can draw a few lines on your pretty face?"

He chuckled, as though he had cracked a funny joke.

Mari's eyes were wide with fear. "Please, please don't hurt me…" she pleaded, trying to twist her head sideways as Smythe lowered the blade against her cheek. "I'll pay you back soon, Mister Smythe, I swear!"

Elsa, who had been watching the situation unfold in shock, nearly gasped when Smythe brought the knife down towards the girl. Her hands clung on to the edge of the wall tightly, however, she was torn as to what to do.

She was supposed to stay out of trouble. But how could she just walk away?

While the cacophony of thoughts swirled around in Elsa's mind, Smythe lifted the blade. Mari's eyes were squeezed shut, and tears leaked out from their corners. Smythe wiped the wet trail with his thumb as the girl flinched.

"Poor, poor, Mari, don't cry…" he said soothingly, tilting his head slightly. When the girl's gaze flicked up in surprise, he broke into a devious grin. "I know how you can repay your debt."

As Mari continued to stare at him dumbly, Smythe spun around to look at the other men. "What do you think, boys? Let's help her repay her debt!"

The men hooted with laughter and closed in on the girl. She struggled and shrieked, but one of them clamped his hand on her mouth. Smythe slid his knife down the front of her bodice, ripping it apart.

_Do something! _

The assault was the final straw, and without further thinking Elsa dashed into the alley.

"Stop!" she shouted in the common tongue, drawing the attention of the men at once. They whirled around, their eyes narrowed with malice.

Her heart was racing, and in her agitation she was having trouble piecing the foreign words together. She clenched her fists. "Let—let her go," her voice was quivering.

"Oh, what do we have here," Smythe said as he walked towards Elsa. The ugly smile that had vanished with Elsa's appearance crawled back onto his face, and even from a distance she could smell the stench of cheap alcohol wafting from him. Backing away steadily, she instinctively reached for the cool metal hidden under her cloak.

Out of a sudden, he grabbed her arm.

"Ugh—!" Smythe jerked his hand away with a cry, and he winced as he looked down. There was a gash across his forearm, and bright red blood was trickling from the wound.

Elsa was stunned. She hadn't intended to strike at the man. But the moment his clammy hand touched her skin, she was so repulsed and on the edge that she countered by swiping the dagger at him.

"You bitch…" Smythe snarled, "Get her!"

Before Elsa could react, the men came charging at her, pulling out knifes from within their coats. She ducked from one man's attack and swung her arm; and the dagger cut his chest, causing him to stumble. The blood spurted onto her dress. However, another man swiftly threw a punch, and her head snapped sideways, the force sending her crashing onto the floor.

She could feel something warm on her chin. She was probably bleeding.

Physical combat had never been a priority in Elsa's training, given her ability to wield magick. After all, of what use would blades and arrows be, against a wall of impenetrable frost, or spikes of ice raining from the sky?

But Deacon had warned her never, _never_ to use magick in Naultica. The people of Naultica had not seen magick for centuries, he said, and there would be catastrophic consequences if they ever found out that she possessed the power to conjure ice and snow.

Regardless, Elsa could feel the energy stirring in her veins. Since she was a small child, she had been taught not only how to use her gift, but how to control it. The nature of magick was such that it was intrinsically connected to the wielder's emotions – a slight shift in her mood was sufficient to do massive damage.

And she was anything but calm now.

_Rein it in… rein it in…_

Amidst the fear, anger and panic, Elsa could feel her control over her powers crumbling. She staggered to her feet, her head spinning as her gaze darted towards each of the men who were scowling at her. Mari was nowhere to be seen.

She had hardly righted her posture, however, when Smythe lunged at her, his hands clamping over her neck. Elsa cried out in pain as her back slammed against the wall. Her feet were dangling off the ground.

"Stupid girl," Smythe growled, his vice like grip tightening around her throat. "I would have had some fun with you first. Now I'm just going to kill you."

Elsa clawed at the man's hands, but he was too strong for her. She choked, and spots of black started flooding her vision.

Her thrashing legs grew weak.

She couldn't breathe.

She was going to die.

And then it came, gushing from her fingertips.

"What the—"

Smythe let out a strangled cry as he jolted away, releasing Elsa. While she slumped onto the ground, gasping for air, he gaped at his hands. "What is happening to me?!"

The ends of Smythe's digits had turned blue, and the colour was spreading along his arms, like an unstoppable tidal wave.

"I can't feel my hands—I can't—I can't feel my hands!"

"Mis—Mister Smythe!" The other men were dumbstruck.

He gawked at them, his eyes wild with terror.

"She's a witch!" he screeched, "Kill her! _Kill_ _her_!"

His frenetic words appeared to knock the men out of their stupor, and once again they came rushing at Elsa, who was still hunched against the wall. They swung their weapons, and Elsa did the first thing that came to her mind—

She raised her arms in front of her.

She only meant to ward off their blows, but her magick spiraled out of control. A chill sped through her body and then volleys of dazzling light shot outwards, hitting the men and repelling them backwards.

When Elsa lowered her arms, the men were sprawled unmoving on the ground, with looks of utter horror etched on their faces. Smythe, who lay a short distance away, had his jaws wide open, eternally trapped in his last cry for help. His entire body was frozen.

They were all frozen.

A lump rose in Elsa's throat. "_Nei…_" she whimpered, unable to believe what she has done.

"What is going on here?!"

She whipped her head around to see a group of men gathering at the entrance of the alley, their torches blazing in the darkness. The townsfolk had finally been alerted by the commotion, and had come to investigate.

"What in the name of—"

"Those men—"

"They're dead—"

"Turned into ice!"

As the bewildered crowd talked amongst themselves, Elsa slowly clambered to her feet, swaying slightly. The townsfolk paid little attention to her presence, until someone shouted, "I saw that girl kill those men! She's a witch!"

There was an immediate uproar.

"A witch!"

"A witch!"

"She froze those men with her bare hands!"

"We must stop her!"

_No, I'm not—I didn't mean to—_

All at once the mob surged towards her, and Elsa had never been so frightened. She turned and fled towards the other end of the alley, with the townsfolk hot on her heels. Dashing blindly from one alley to another, she tried to elude them; but no matter where she turned, the glowing orange torches would eventually catch up with her, and she would have to flee again.

The whole town was after her, it seemed.

At last, with her heart hammering in her chest, and her knees on the verge of buckling, she found herself in another dark alley.

This time, however, it was a dead end.

_No! _

She silently wailed as she pounded her fist on the rough surface of the wall in frustration. She then spun around, wanting to retreat, but it was too late. Two men were standing at the mouth of the alley, preventing her escape. They were dressed in dark green uniforms, and one of them clutched a sword, while the other grasped a bow, with its arrow nocked and pointing at Elsa.

She could see the younger man's hand shaking as he held onto the bowstring.

"You've nowhere else to run, witch," the older man said, in a tone that left no room for negotiation, "Come back with us and we won't hurt you."

Elsa gulped. It was true. There was no escape for her. Perhaps she should surrender.

She took a step forward.

And the bowman lost his nerve.

As the arrow launched into the air, Elsa flinched – and her magick reacted. A luminous arc burst forth from her, decimating the arrow in its path and barreling into the men in green; the frost claiming their souls even before they could understand what had hit them.

Similarly, Elsa did not have any time to register what had happened, because in the next moment, she felt something land with a thud behind her, together with a searing pain in the back of her neck.

It was the last thing she felt, before everything faded into darkness.

* * *

When Elsa awoke, she was lying on the hard ground.

She tried to turn her head, but the pain that radiated sharply from her neck caused her to wince. She tried again, much more slowly this time, and managed to flip onto her side. A loud jangling sound led her to peer at her hands.

They were ensnared in the middle of an oblong shaped object.

_What is this…?!_

Elsa scrambled to sit up, the long metal chain attached to the front of the device clanking with her movements. The dark silver device fitted her hands snuggly, such that she couldn't even wriggle them. On a closer look, she could see a cursive script finely etched along its sides. It was in a language she had never seen before.

Twisting her head left and right to survey her surroundings, it dawned on her that she was in a cell of sorts. She was completely boxed in by thick walls, and the light that filtered through the small window a few feet above her provided the only illumination in the tiny space.

As panic rose within her, she willed her magick awake, trying to break free of the shackles around her hands. But with every try, her desperation grew, for the power that coursed through her veins would always vanish mysteriously upon reaching her fingertips. It was as if the lock was draining her of her magick, and trying to use it only left her feeling more sapped of energy than ever.

"_Dette kan ikke skje..._" she muttered, her eyes growing wet. What was happening to her? Was she being held as a prisoner?

Would she ever see her family again?

"This lock was forged in the ancient days. You won't be able to conjure any of your… _magick_… so I don't suggest you try."

The dull voice jerked her out of her trance, and the heavy metal door that was affixed to one of the walls creaked open, revealing a small built man with greying hair. Elsa hastily got onto her feet but the sudden motion made her dizzy, and she was forced to lean against the wall for support.

With his mouth set in a grim line, the man stepped into the cell. He appraised Elsa for a few seconds before continuing carefully, "My name is Wolten Marl, and I am the Mayor of Hillsvale. Who are you and where did you come from?"

At this, Elsa parted her cracked lips. Her throat was so parched that it felt like sandpaper when she swallowed, but she had so many things to say. She wanted to explain to the mayor what happened, that those five men were trying to hurt Mari, and she was just trying to help her. Perhaps then he would realise that she was not a witch, and she had never meant to use her magick. Perhaps he would let her go—

"You have killed seven men in my town, stranger. Clyton Smythe's gang, _and _men from the City Watch," the mayor had raised his voice. "So tell me, who the _hell_ are you, and what the _hell _are you doing in my town?"

Those words instantly erased whatever desire Elsa had to explain herself. As the truth sank in, she slid down the wall, slumping onto the ground.

She had killed seven men.

_I am a murderer._

* * *

The days that followed passed by in a blur.

Elsa didn't know what day it was, or what time it was. The only indication of whether it was day or night came from the tiny hole in the wall that was far beyond her reach.

She barely touched the foul tasting water or the stale bread that was shoved through a flap at the bottom of the door, and she couldn't sleep. Every time she closed her eyes she would see them—Clyton Smythe, his gang members, the City Watch, the townsfolk, Mari—and the images of fear, shock, terror, disgust and rage would roll and roil in her mind to the point that she would clutch her head and whimper soundlessly in despair.

She only wanted to see the world. She never wanted to hurt anyone.

So how did it all go wrong?

Sometimes, when she did fall asleep, she would have dreams instead of nightmares. She would dream that she was back in Nordsgarde, back in the safe and comforting arms of her family. And then she would wake up and find herself in a gloomy cell surrounded by nothing but misery.

She couldn't decide which was more cruel, the dreams or the nightmares.

During the time that she was imprisoned, Mayor Marl paid her a number of visits. Each time he would question her on who she was and where she was from, but like the first time, she did not speak a single word.

Because, really, there was nothing left to say.

The man got increasingly vexed as the days went by, and by his last visit, Elsa had gotten visibly thinner and frailer. There were dark circles under her eyes, and when the door opened, she was huddling in the corner of the cell, staring vacantly at the window high above her.

Once more, she said nothing to him. The mayor eventually left in a huff, though not before mentioning that the Lord of Arendelle has ordered that she be brought to trial. The words floated through Elsa's head, and she gave him nary a glance, even as the door slammed shut.

* * *

At the crack of dawn, she was taken out of her dank and musty cell to make the journey to Stag Hall. She had thought that things couldn't get any worse, but she was wrong. The City Watch, led by a man called Yasberg, despised her so much that she was forced to make her way on foot. After days of hard trekking her shoes wore out, leaving the rocks and stones to cut into her skin.

Nevertheless, she kept walking.

Some of them took delight in her misery, she knew. But even if she was a prisoner in chains and at the mercy of her captors, she tried to conduct herself with dignity.

She was the princess of Nordsgarde, and the only thing she had left was her pride.

Along the way, she kept quiet, numbing herself to the pain that bugged her with every step. The men were constantly watching her, and in other circumstances they might have been entertaining other ideas, but they were far too spooked by what she had done to the seven men to try anything. And that was perfectly fine with her.

As for sustenance, she received meager portions of food, scraps really, to be accurate. Her stomach constantly ached from hunger, and it was only when she finally fainted on the road that they decided to offer her more water. Apparently the City Watch realised that it wouldn't do if they delivered a corpse to the Lord of Arendelle instead of a living, albeit weakened, witch.

By the time they reached the crossroads of Summerfield, Elsa's head hung low from exhaustion, and she was slightly delirious from the lack of food and water. It was only when the men dismounted from their horses that she was alerted to the fact that they had arrived at their destination.

She stood behind the men, her body trembling lightly from a combination of heat, hunger, thirst and fatigue. Nonetheless, despite her predicament, she could not help but crane her neck to see who had come to receive them.

There were twelve of them in total, including a burly man in gleaming armour, who was clearly a respected knight. But Elsa's attention wasn't on him. No, her gaze was immediately drawn to the rider at the head of the convoy – a young woman who looked to be around Elsa's age, and who was dressed in a white shirt, dark grey breeches and black riding boots.

The girl's fiery red hair was tied up in two braids, and under the dazzling sun, it was as though she was surrounded by a golden halo. She sat astride a white horse, her posture confident yet relaxed.

"Lady Anna," Captain Yasberg began, bowing at the girl respectfully.

And when the corners of the girl's lips quirked into a warm smile, Elsa knew that her life was about to be changed forever.

* * *

**A/N: **Hello! How are you guys holding up in this hot, hot summer? I spent the weekend hiking in the mountains at 40 deg Celsius, which I would _not_ recommend unless you want to experience being on a stairmaster in a sauna. Like, a stairmaster that has malfunctioned and goes on and on forever.

Anyway. Thank you, you awesome reviewers! You keep me going (not on the stairmaster, the writing). In response to one of the reviewer's query - Elsa and Anna are of the same age in this story.

And... The bad news is, you still don't know what happened to Anna. But the good news is, the next chapter will be fluff. Yes, FLUFF.

Probably.

Maybe?


	7. Recollections Part III

**Chapter 7: Recollections Part III**

On the first day of their journey, Elsa thought that Anna of Arendelle was the strangest person she had ever met.

She was a noble, as was obvious from the title and deference accorded to her by the City Watch, yet she did not behave like one in the least. Her tone was casual as she addressed Captain Yasberg, and likewise, when they finally hit the road, she bantered easily with the knight (Ser Kromvik, he was called) and the soldiers. More than once Elsa heard her chuckling at someone's joke, and even then it wasn't in the restrained and ladylike manner that Elsa was always taught to do, but a hearty laugh that seemed to resonate in the air.

However, those were merely minor observations, as the one thing that truly befuddled Elsa was how she treated her.

Of course, she wasn't a stranger to cordiality. She was the princess of Nordsgarde, and she was pragmatic enough to know that her status more or less ensured that people would treat her politely and affably. Nonetheless she was now nothing more than a captive, a witch who has thus far only invoked scorn and fear. So why was Anna so _nice_ to her?

Elsa had been shocked, to put it lightly, when the girl offered to let her ride on her horse. For a moment she wondered if it was some sort of a trick or a ploy. Having been subject to the City Watch's harsh treatment for countless days, she wouldn't be surprised if the Lady Anna took sadistic pleasure in getting her hopes up before crushing them mercilessly.

But then she had looked into her eyes. They were bright and clear, like the first green shoots of spring, or the sunlight gleaming through the forest leaves. They were so honest and open that she had instinctively acquiesced to the arrangement, and the next thing she knew, the girl was lifting her up onto the horse with surprising strength and gentleness.

That was just the beginning, too.

While Anna had made sure that Elsa was seated securely on the horse, she kept a respectful distance between them. And when she had inevitably posed the latter with questions regarding her identity, she did not seem to be offended, in spite of the fact that Elsa pretty much ignored her completely.

Then, there was supper, when Anna had swapped the dirtied bread roll meant for Elsa with her own. That was enough to make Elsa sit up and pay attention, though not as much as Anna inviting her to spend the night in her tent, which sent all the alarm bells in her head ringing.

Was it really a ploy after all?

She found it difficult to believe that the girl was up to no good, nevertheless, she still lingered at the doorway, unable to bring herself to step inside the tent. A million thoughts were racing through her mind, and she was contemplating just how she was going to get out of this sticky situation…

"Umm... I know this might seem a little strange, but trust me, I'm not interested in doing anything to you tonight. I mean—I'm not interested in doing anything to you ever. Oh—no, that's not what I meant—not that you're unattractive, you're very attractive, more attractive than any girl I've met but—"

Elsa's gaze flicked towards Anna, who was seated on the ground, her eyebrows scrunched up and her cheeks getting pinker by the second.

_She is... rambling?_

The girl's crumpled expression was as if she had stubbed her toe. "Okay, you know what? I think I should just shut up now." And with that proclamation, she covered her eyes and flopped onto her back.

She looked so… adorably awkward that Elsa did something that she hadn't done in a long time.

She smiled.

Ducking her head down quickly so that Anna would not see her face, Elsa decided to set aside her reservations for the time being and enter the tent. Her actions seemed to save the girl from dying from embarrassment, as the latter immediately jolted upright, patting the space beside her like an excitable puppy wagging its tail.

But that's _still_ not all.

Right when Elsa lowered herself to sit on the blanket, there was a sudden outburst from Anna, who scrambled to grab some medical supplies from her bag. Anna then insisted to help dress her wounds, and the tenderness in which she had proceeded to do so caused Elsa's heart to skip.

She nearly breathed a sigh of relief when Anna stuck the cork back into the bottle and put the medical supplies away.

Just _who _is this girl?

Elsa wasn't sure if she could deal with any more surprises from her.

"No more walking around for you until the wounds heal, understand?" Anna was wagging a finger at her, a grin lighting up her face. Before Elsa could react, she let out a chortle. "What am I doing, you probably didn't understand what I said."

"Anyway, time to rest. Goodnight!"

And then she blew out the lamp.

Left sitting in the dark, Elsa's mind struggled to catch up with the turn of events. A day before she was marching barefoot on the hard ground and salvaging whatever rest she could in the chill of the night. Now she was travelling on a horse and spending the night in a warm tent, beside a girl who had been kinder to her than anyone who had cause to do so.

Eventually, she leaned over to peer at the person who was both her captor and sharing her blanket. Anna appeared to be in deep slumber, and her lips were slightly parted as her chest rose and fell rhythmically. For several more minutes Elsa listened to the sound of Anna's steady breathing, before she surrendered to her tiredness and lay down on the ground, where she continued to scrutinise the outline of the girl's back.

Her thoughts gradually faded away, leaving her with just one realisation.

Safe, that's what she felt.

And for the first time in forever, she did not have any dreams at all.

* * *

On the third day of their journey, Elsa wondered if there was anyone more persistent than Anna.

By this time, she was quite certain that Anna did not have any ulterior motives for treating her so well. The latter was rather transparent when it came to her moods—one could easily tell whether she was happy, annoyed or just plain bored by looking at her face—and unless she was _that_ devious, Elsa did not think that she was capable of hiding her thoughts much.

And Anna was certainly upfront with her intentions. From the very beginning it seemed as though her sole purpose in life was to get Elsa to speak to her, and though she was given the cold-shoulder, it did not mean that she stopped trying. In fact, she tried even harder; making use of every opportunity to engage Elsa in conversation, regardless of the silence and blank stares that were returned.

From Elsa's perspective, it wasn't due to dislike for the girl that she refused to talk to her. Initially she simply saw no need to do so, given that Anna was her captor, just like Mayor Marl and Captain Yasberg were. Then, she told herself that it would be better to keep up the ruse because she could learn a lot more when others assume that she did not understand what they were saying (in other words, by eavesdropping).

But the _real_ reason for pretending not to understand Anna?

It kept her thoroughly entertained.

Faced with Elsa's reticence, Anna had taken on the role of a storyteller, enthusiastically sharing little titbits about her life at Stag Hall. As a result, Elsa now knew that:

Anna's nickname at Stag Hall was the Great Mischief-maker.

She first met Kristoff Bjorgman when she was spending her winter holidays in Elvendeer, a mountain range situated in central Heladonia. However, the two nine year olds hated each other's guts instantly, and their constant bickering eventually cumulated in a dare to race their sleds at midnight (without the adults' knowledge, of course). _Somehow_, they ended up being chased by wolves, and _somehow_, both sleds were completely destroyed. They became best friends after that.

At twelve years old, she broke her arm after she had attached little wheels to a wooden plank and tried to glide through the halls (she called it "boarding"), but accidentally rolled down the stairs.

At thirteen, she deliberately tried to roll down the stairs and nearly broke her other arm.

Every year her father would take her "camping", and one year she was so adamant about not going that she secretly buried her father's camping equipment. Only for her father to drag her along anyway and make her sleep in the open.

To emphasise how terrible Anna's sewing skills were, her master had once remarked that an elephant would do a better job than her. Thereafter, Anna decided to attend all her sewing classes in "elephant style" – pinching her nose with one hand and sticking her other hand through the loop. She never got another sewing done after that.

Similarly, her drawing master had nearly suffered a seizure when, having made a mess out of a portrait she was supposed to do, Anna had insisted that it was "abstract art".

The kitchen staff, too, were not spared from Anna's antics. On one occasion she had set the cook's beard on fire when she was learning how to bake. She did not elaborate on what happened, other than the fact that she never looked at pies the same way again.

"And then, Master Pabbie comes in and his face turns purple, and he yells, YOU BRATS!"

The girl guffawed, and even though they were barely touching, Elsa could feel the slim shoulders behind her shaking with mirth. There was then a faint rustling sound as Anna adjusted her position on the horse, leaning forward and poking her head around to look at Elsa. "Don't you think that it's funny?" the girl asked, referring to the latest tale regarding her and Kristoff's quest to drive the resident Healer of Stag Hall up the wall, literally.

Elsa was expressionless while she stared at the road ahead.

Anna's eyebrows drooped slightly. "Oh come on, do you not have a sense of humor?" she prodded, "Hmm?"

But Elsa offered no response. She quickly tilted her face away, looking as though she was admiring the scenery...

When she was actually hiding a smile.

* * *

On the sixth day, Elsa got a taste of her own medicine.

Now that they have spent a good amount of time together, she and Anna had settled in a somewhat peculiar relationship. Although she was technically Anna's captive, and Anna was technically escorting her to trial, they were on far friendlier terms. Elsa wouldn't allow herself to think that they were _friends_, but she couldn't deny the sense of security and ease she felt whenever Anna was around.

Indeed, Anna seemed to be _the_ source of Elsa's comfort. Whilst Ser Kromvik was amicable enough (if just a tad wary of her), and the soldiers generally caused her no trouble, Elsa felt a world of a difference in Anna's absence. The moment Anna steps out of sight, whether to fetch something from her tent or to tend to her horse, there would be this gnawing sensation in the pit of her stomach; and she would remain stiffly in the same position, trying not to fidget with her hands until the girl returns.

It was not till much, much, much later that, upon reflection, Elsa realised how she was acting like a pet waiting for her owner to come home.

However, on the morning of their sixth day together, Anna appeared to have woken up from the wrong side of the bed (or blanket). Gone was her usual dazzling smile, and even though they carried out the same routine as they did everyday, Anna said next to nothing, when she should be doing a running commentary about almost everything under the sun.

Elsa wasn't sure what had brought about the sudden change in her mood. Worse still, she realised that Anna was not just generally sulky, but that the girl's annoyance was specifically directed at her. By the time the convoy set off on their horses, Elsa was receiving both the silent treatment _and_ finding it impossible to make eye contact with her.

Every time she tried to get Anna's attention, the girl would look away. Before long, a sour feeling was blossoming in her chest, and she was in no mood to enjoy the scenery, lovely as it may be. She hadn't guessed how much she would miss hearing Anna's cheerful voice, or seeing her animated gestures and expressions as she recounted yet another story about herself or the five kingdoms. And much as she loved stories about the five kingdoms, she found herself much more drawn to the anecdotes about little Anna and her growing up years.

Elsa turned her shoulders slightly towards Anna, who was seated rigidly on the saddle, with her gaze fixated at some faraway point ahead. Frowning, Elsa tilted her shoulders more, making it obvious that she was staring at the girl.

Anna angled her head to the right, away from Elsa.

Elsa bit her bottom lip, and at last, summoned the courage to tap the girl's arm.

Anna twisted her head even further to the right, her chin jutting out slightly in a petulant pout.

Elsa's heart fell.

_Please don't ignore me_, she wanted to say, but she couldn't.

Not when she had spent the last couple of days doing the same thing to Anna.

Perhaps the weather was also influenced by the gloomy atmosphere, because out of a sudden it started to pour. The rain was so heavy that Ser Kromvik allowed the men to halt their horses and put on their hooded capes, and despite Anna's crankiness, she hurriedly cloaked Elsa with a cape, making sure that the latter was well shielded from the storm before donning her own. This made Elsa smile a little.

Nonetheless, the two of them remained silent for the rest of the journey, until the convoy found its way obstructed by a fallen tree. As the large water droplets continued to pelt the riders, Anna dismounted to help the soldiers move the enormous tree trunk to the roadside.

From her position on the horse, Elsa watched Anna and the soldiers lift the tree trunk off the ground. However, disaster soon struck; and when one of the men slipped, sparking off a chain of reaction that cumulated in a large tree crashing down towards Anna, her heart stopped. Nothing else mattered at that point, and she shouted.

"ANNA!"

Thankfully, Anna's quick reflexes meant that she avoided an early demise. Elsa heaved a sigh of relief.

But when she saw the gleeful grin on Anna's face, she knew she was in trouble.

"_So…_you are able to speak."

The storm had ceased, and they were taking a break near a stream when the dreaded question finally came. Elsa squirmed, choosing to direct her gaze to the ground instead of at the girl beside her.

Along the way, she had realised that she had another reason for not revealing her identity – she was afraid. In this foreign land, where she was helpless and her future was uncertain, her name was the only reminder of who she was Nordsgarde, and the last fortress that shielded her heart from the cold reality that she no longer had any control over her fate.

"I know you called my name, and thank you for that – you saved me. But I still don't know your name. What is your name?"

But Anna's voice was warm and soothing. Her every smile, every twinkle of her eyes, and every story that she told had slowly chipped away at her defences, and in her mind's eye, Elsa could see her fortress crumbling…

She stole a glance at Anna, before looking away.

"C'mon now…"

A hint of exasperation had sneaked into the girl's tone. _Do you not trust me_, was the implication beneath the words.

_Can I trust her? _

Then, Anna was springing up from her seat and spinning on her heels to leave, and she instinctively grabbed her hand. The answer was clear. She couldn't let her walk away.

"_Elsa._"

"_Mitt navn er Elsa._"

She never felt more vulnerable than she did at that instant, but she also had never felt more brave.

And when she saw Anna positively glowing with happiness, she knew that it was worth it.

* * *

On the eighth day of their journey, Elsa thought that perhaps she was getting a little _too_ comfortable with Anna.

As per normal, Anna was already gone by the time Elsa woke up. She lay on the blanket, staring at the ceiling of the tent while listening to the soldiers chatting outside. She was the prisoner, yet she was also the last one to get out of bed, and sometimes she pondered whether she had become delirious while travelling with the City Watch, such that everything that she was experiencing now was just a hallucination. The thought made her skin crawl.

Anna could not be a mere illusion.

Shaking the unwelcome thoughts from her mind, Elsa flipped to her side and used her palms to push herself up into a sitting position. The lock she was wearing was considerably lighter without the metal chain that was formerly attached to it (Anna had it removed because she didn't like the idea of anyone tugging Elsa around like an animal), and it made her movements a lot easier.

When she stepped out of the tent, the brightness of the morning sunlight caused Elsa to squint slightly. She immediately cast her gaze about, and she soon found the person she was looking for. Unthinkingly, her lips twitched.

Elsa was a few steps away when the familiar figure turned around.

"Good morning," Anna greeted, a corner of her lips curling in a lopsided grin. Elsa could sense her own smile widening.

She didn't reply at once, as the sight of Anna's untied hair flowing over her shoulders quickly distracted her. She liked them when Anna plaited them in two braids, but she liked them even more when they were cascading freely down her back. They shone with a healthy sheen, and through frequent observation (surreptitious or otherwise), Elsa knew that their colour varied according to the light and went through a multitude of shades through the day, from a reddish blonde to a deeper orange like the setting sun.

_I wonder if they are as soft as they look…_

"Elsa?"

Elsa blinked. "_Ah—God morgen_," she stuttered uncharacteristically, realising that she must have ogled at Anna for a good half a minute.

Anna quirked an eyebrow at catching Elsa in a daze, and her eyes were filled with curious amusement as she twirled a small towel in her hand. "Wash up?"

Elsa nodded, promptly settling herself on a nearby log and quietly glad that Anna had not decided to tease her. She honestly didn't know how she would have reacted.

After dipping the cloth she was holding in a basin of water and wringing it dry, the girl walked over. She reached towards Elsa, one hand cradling the back of her head while the other pressed the towel against her cheeks. At the touch of the damp cloth on her skin, Elsa exhaled, and her eyes fluttered shut.

It was part of their daily routine, and Elsa looked forward to it everyday, even though she wasn't exactly sure why. The cool sensation from the towel was a pleasant reprieve from the stifling heat, but Elsa didn't recall "washing up" being such an enjoyable activity when she did it herself.

As Anna's hand roamed over her face, the warmth from her palm exuding through the thin cloth while she gently and carefully traced over her eyes, and over her cheeks, Elsa found herself in a state of utter relaxation. The towel moved to the side of her face, and she felt the soft fingertips brush below her ears.

"Mmmmm—"

She gasped.

That _did_ _not_ just come out from her mouth.

When Elsa's eyes flew open, Anna had frozen in her movements, and was now staring at her dumbstruck. Elsa might not be particularly experienced in the "ways of the world", but it didn't escape her that the noise (or more accurately, moan) was extremely _inappropriate_.

The girl was still gaping. "Did you—did you—"

Elsa became acutely aware of the blood rushing to her head. Her cheeks were burning. No, her cheeks were on fire.

And then Anna cracked up. "Oh my god!" she cried out breathlessly, bending over with laughter, "Oh! This is too funny—"

In the midst of her mortification, Elsa snatched the towel from Anna's hand, and when Anna continued to chuckle, she threw the cloth back at her, sending it right smack in her face.

"Oof!" Anna flinched, grabbing hold of the cloth before it slid off her cheeks. She straightened up, her expression a mixture of surprise, chagrin and amusement as she placed her hands at her hips. "Hey!"

But Elsa just stuck out her tongue at her. And while Anna's eyes widened in shock, she jumped up and ran.

One second, two seconds…

"Come back here! Elsaaaa!"

* * *

By the eleventh day, they were so close that Elsa wondered if they really only knew each other for less than two weeks.

Starting from the moment when Elsa told Anna her name, she had allowed the girl to stake a spot in her heart and claim it for her own. And from there, Anna's presence grew; larger and larger until she was everything that Elsa thought and cared about, her beacon of light in the darkness of her mind, her anchor in the raging storm.

With their journey coming to an end, Elsa's nightmares were gradually coming back to haunt her. Little by little they seeped into her consciousness, and while she remembered nothing of the contents of the dreams when she awoke, the beads of sweat on her skin and her tense muscles told her what she needed to know. No matter how far she travelled from Hillsvale, the horrors of what had happened followed her.

But Anna was there. She was always beside her whenever she startled awake in the middle of the night, and was always patiently waiting for her every morning. Most of their days were spent on horseback, having lighthearted conversations about anything and everything, and savoring the magnificent views of Heladonia; and during those times Elsa would forget that she was a prisoner, and instead focus on the warmth that radiated from the girl behind her.

A casual observer might find it mundane, however, to Elsa, it was bliss.

After another day of hard riding, where Elsa had fallen asleep in Anna's arms—it felt so natural that she did so without much thinking—they were back in their tent. Anna was complaining about the lack of a proper bath when her eyes had suddenly lit up with excitement, and a few minutes later, Elsa was following her into the woods.

Other than being curious about where Anna was leading her to, Elsa studied the girl in front of her. Anna must have been well acquainted with trekking in the forest, because her footsteps were swift and sure as she made her way between the trees. While Anna crossed over the branches and boulders strewn around the forest floor with ease, crouching and bending and leaping, Elsa couldn't help but notice the way her thigh muscles worked underneath her skintight breeches, and indeed, after a while, it was all she noticed…

"It's right there, Elsa, follow me!"

Once more, Elsa realised that she had drifted off in a daze while watching the girl. It was something that was occurring rather frequently as of late, and she quietly chided herself before scrambling to catch up with Anna.

* * *

Elsa had to admit, she was rather envious when she saw the hot spring in the middle of the clearing.

The water looked extremely welcoming, especially when she herself had gone without a bath for days. Probably even longer than Anna had. All of a sudden, she became awfully conscious about her present state of hygiene.

Heaven help her, she really needed a bath too!

"Err, umm, I'm just going to—going to get in the water…"

"Could you—could you—"

Anna was gazing at her, a faint blush coating her cheeks as she stumbled over her words. At once, Elsa knew what she was asking her to do, but she decided to play dumb. Public bathhouses were common in Nordsgarde, hence she didn't really understand Anna's shyness. Plus, it was fun looking at her blush deepen.

"_Elsa…_"

One word from Anna in that tone of voice, and her resistance was reduced to zero. Elsa gave a final smirk, but obediently turned her head to the side to allow the girl to undress in private. She was very tempted to sneak a glance or two; nevertheless, that would be impolite, wouldn't it?

"Ahhhh…"

Hearing Anna's contented sigh, she took it as a sign that she could tilt her head back around. And when she did, her breath hitched.

Anna had dipped her entire body in the water, and when she resurfaced, she lifted her arms and swept her long and untamed hair backwards with her fingers. The rivulets ran down her neck, shoulders and arms, highlighting the lean and defined muscles that so far have been hidden by the shirts that she wore; and her tanned skin glistened under the moonlight.

Elsa stared, blatantly, her gaze instantly locking with Anna's when she looked up. Even through the rising steam she could clearly see those bright eyes that mesmerised her since the beginning: the same pair of eyes that sometimes resembled the lush green foliage of the Tolsford Mountains, and other times reflected the tranquil blue of Lake Zelfer. Anna was what she thought of when she took in the landscape of Heladonia.

_Beautiful. _

"The water is great…"

"Err—umm, I probably shouldn't take too long a bath. I'll get out now."

At the sight of Anna shifting awkwardly in the hot spring, Elsa inhaled sharply, snapping out her trance. She whipped her head away briskly, willing herself to calm down as Anna put on her clothes.

Why was her heart beating so fast?

By the time Anna was fully dressed, Elsa had refocused her attention on another, and perhaps more pressing, issue – her bath. For far too long she had been deprived of this basic comfort, and every fibre in her body was craving for a good soak in the heated water. Her thoughts must have been obvious, as Anna queried if she wanted a bath too.

She nodded.

And when she saw the hesitation on Anna's face, she knew why.

She was forgetting her place. She was a prisoner, and prisoners did not have the luxury of taking baths while being escorted to trial. That must be why Anna looked so torn, although Elsa had no idea why the girl's face was acquiring a rosy colour.

There was no choice but for her to resign herself to being sticky, sweaty and _downright uncomfortable_—

"Alright..." came Anna's voice. Elsa jolted her head up to see the girl wearing an indulgent smile, and, realising that her wish had been granted, she resisted the urge to whoop in joy (she _was _a princess), settling instead for a wide grin that threatened to split her face. As Anna came closer, however, digging in her pocket and pulling out a golden key, her mind blanked.

_What is she...?_

"You're not going to run away now, are you?" Anna said lightly, and Elsa could only shake her head numbly. "Okay, here we go..."

She had not fully registered the implications of Anna's actions when the lock clicked and the shackles released its grip on her hands. Without the weight of the metal device holding her down, she felt infinitely lighter.

Her heart swelled.

Anna had removed the lock. Anna knew that she could wield magick, she knew that she was dangerous, yet she removed the lock…

_Oh, Anna…_

And then her arms were moving on their own, stretching outwards until her palms caressed the girl's smooth cheeks. Somewhere along the line Anna had shut her eyes, allowing Elsa to look at her unabashedly.

_They're as soft as I imagined..._

The surge of emotions in her chest overwhelmed her, and Elsa no longer thought but _felt_. With her mind in a haze, she acted on pure instinct as she leaned forward, tiptoeing just a little to press a kiss on Anna's forehead.

"_Takk_," she said, her voice so low that it was a mere whisper.

When she drew away, Anna's eyes were wide open. But it didn't stop her gaze from dropping to her lips. It wasn't the first time she had noticed them, but up close they looked so… delectable.

Her chin inched downwards.

_I want…_

But her senses swiftly caught up with her, and as her lips hovered dangerously close to Anna's, the spell was broken. Elsa tore herself away, her knees slightly wobbly while she beat a hasty retreat to the edge of the hot spring.

She couldn't explain what had just happened. Truly. Thus, as her fuzzy brain worked on making sense of why she was suddenly interested in how Anna's lips would _taste_, she set her body on autopilot, her fingers reaching behind to unlace her bodice. Her jumbled thoughts were temporarily interrupted by a terrified squeak followed by what sounded like Anna tripping over her own foot, and for an instant she forgot the bizarre occurrence earlier, and let loose a faint giggle.

Once all her clothes were put away neatly, Elsa dipped her foot in the water and sighed happily. The temperature was just right. The prospect of relaxing in the hot spring also dispelled any remaining desire to solve the puzzle in her mind – she decided that she would think about it later, and anyway, she had a niggling feeling that the answer to her erratic behaviour was right around the corner.

Before she lowered herself into the water, though, she inclined her head over her shoulder to peer towards the boulder that Anna had perched herself on.

She didn't expect that the girl would be staring at her, slack-jawed.

"Anna?"

Anna looked as though a bucket of icy water had been tossed at her, and she twisted her head away with such lightning speed that Elsa thought she could hear a faint crack. Elsa couldn't decide what was more amusing—Anna's shock at seeing Elsa naked or her reaction at being caught red-handed—and despite calling out to Anna a few more times, the latter stubbornly refused to budge in her seat.

In the remaining time that Elsa spent in the water, Anna sat with her back facing her, her posture so rigid that a bird could have landed and made a nest on her shoulder with no problem. She made no movement when Elsa got up from the water. In fact, she seemed to stiffen even more, if that was humanly possible.

Unluckily for Anna, this only caused an evil idea to spring in Elsa's mind.

Having dried herself, Elsa rested on the water's edge, pulling her shoulders back so that her hands were grasping the rocky perimeter of the hot spring and crossing one slender leg over the other. "_Jeg er ferdig,_" she said demurely, while fighting the growing smirk on her face.

Anna twitched. "You're done?" Her voice seemed a little shaky.

"_Ja._"

"Okay…"

It was even better than Elsa anticipated. When Anna shuffled around in her seat, her gaze swept over Elsa from head to toe. Her mouth fell open in a big "O", and her eyes looked like they were about to pop out from her sockets. Her face turned white, then pink, then red.

She looked like she was going to choke.

Elsa threw her head back, laughing in the most unprincess-like manner. At last, she had exacted revenge for the time when Anna teased her about the sound she made while cleaning her face.

"E—EL—ELSA!"

* * *

After getting an earful from the girl (who clearly didn't appreciate being surprised by a very un-clothed Elsa), they sat themselves down on a boulder next to the hot spring. They were quiet as they regarded the stars above them, but the silence was far from stifling; instead, it felt peaceful and serene.

It wasn't the first time that Elsa stargazed. As a matter of fact, she frequently admired the stars when she was back in Nordsgarde. From the private balcony of her bedchamber, the night sky was like sea of diamonds, extending endlessly in all directions.

Queen Sofie used to talk to Elsa about the constellations and the stories behind them, and one of her favourite stories was about Aourvent and Elenaise. According to her mother, Elenaise was a daughter of the Lord of Fenoir, while Aourvent was born a peasant. The two girls met when they were children, and despite their differences in social statuses, they eventually fell in love with each other.

Nonetheless, Elenaise was already betrothed to another noble, and in order to prevent Aourvent from disrupting the planned nuptials, the Lord of Fenoir promised that he would give Elenaise's hand to her in marriage if she managed to complete a number of tasks.

To the lord's dismay, Aourvent readily took on the challenge, braving through countless dangers to achieve what most people would have regarded as impossible. When it came to the final task, Aourvent was required to retrieve a magical mirror from a sorcerer, but while the sorcerer was willing to hand the mirror over to her, he would only do so on the condition that she enter into a bet with him. She agreed.

As part of the bet, Aourvent delivered the magical mirror to Elenaise. Before setting off to complete the second part of the task, she swore to Elenaise that she would return prior to the latter's upcoming wedding with the noble, and told her not to look into the mirror.

But Elenaise knew that one of the properties of the mirror was that it could show where one's true love was. And when the day of Elenaise's wedding to her betrothed came, there was still no sign of Aourvent. Panicking, she decided to look into the mirror, and saw that Aourvent was standing right outside the castle gates.

However, what joy Elenaise felt was short-lived, as she wasn't aware that as part of the bet, Aourvent had placed her heart in the mirror. The bet hinged on the trust that Elenaise had for her, and the moment that Elenaise faltered and took a peek at the mirror, Aourvent lost the bet – the mirror immediately shattered into a million pieces, taking the girl's heart along with them.

Realising that she had killed Aourvent, Elenaise cried until her own heart broke; and it was said that the innumerable pinpricks of light that dotted around the two constellations were the fragments of their hearts.

After telling the story of Aourvent and Elenaise, Queen Sofie had commented that trust was like a mirror, in that once broken, it could never be fixed perfectly. Elsa had understood what her mother was trying to teach her, although she was more captivated by the tale's star-crossed protagonists than her mother's lesson.

On this night, with Anna by her side, _Aourvent _and _Elenaise_ seemed to shine even brighter, shimmering with surprising intensity. Elsa closed her eyes, enjoying the cool breeze and the faint humming of the forest in the background.

She was happy. She was content.

If she could freeze this moment forever, she would.

"Elsa, can you show me magick?"

The sudden request brought all her pleasant thoughts to a shuddering stop, and Elsa blinked, wondering if she had misheard. The intent look on Anna's face, nevertheless, confirmed her fears.

Did Anna understand what she was asking of her?

She hadn't been able to erase the memories of Hillsvale, and the images of the people's terror as they reacted to Elsa's magick were imprinted permanently in her head. Would Anna also contort her face in horror when she realised what Elsa could do? Would Anna be afraid of her?

"I know you can… do magick… and I would like to see it. Can you show it to me, please?"

Moreover, almost all her life she had practised controlling her powers, however when the crucial moment came, she had failed. She had failed to rein in her emotions, and the consequences had been dire…

No, she couldn't afford to try it again.

"_Men jeg—_"

"It's fine. I promise that I wouldn't tell Ser Kromvik or the others. Show me, please?"

But Anna seemed to have a special hold on her. When the girl reached over, clasping her hands around hers and flashing that enchanting smile, Elsa's resolve was shredded into bits. She gulped, forcing her nervousness down as she removed her right hand from Anna's grasp and put her palm out. There was no need for conscious thought as the familiar sensation travelled through her veins, towards the tips of her fingers… only this time, what she wanted to conjure was soft and gentle.

What she wanted was snow.

As the swirl of blue light exploded into a shower of white crystals, and as the glittering snowflakes continued to fall, Elsa decided that she would never tire of her magick, even if she knew the destructive side of it, even if others hated her for it.

However, there was one person whose opinion mattered to her. She slowly lowered her gaze, turning her attention to that very individual.

Anna's arms were outstretched, allowing the snow to fall on her bare skin. There was no trace of repulsiveness or fear in her eyes. On the contrary, there were only awe and fascination, and unadulterated delight.

Something stirred deep within her.

And Elsa made a solemn promise that she would never, ever, hurt Anna.

* * *

Later that night, Elsa couldn't sleep.

She wasn't thinking about Hillsvale; she was thinking about what had happened during the past eleven days. The sound of the steady breathing beside her would usually lull her to sleep, but not tonight.

Finally, she gave in to her restlessness and pulled herself up, quietly so that she would not wake Anna. She then crawled forward on her knees, till her upper body was hovering over the latter. As usual, Anna was sound asleep.

And Elsa watched.

The moonlight that spilled in through the gaps of the tent fell on Anna, highlighting every contour in her face and illuminating each strand of her long eyelashes. Without the girl's expressive eyes distracting her, Elsa was able to appreciate the curve of her cheekbones, and the way in which her straight nose tapered off in a delicate tip. Everything about Anna attracted her, including the sprinkle of freckles on her face, which reminded her of the stars that she had seen earlier.

She couldn't resist shifting closer to Anna, reaching out and tracing her fingers over the same soft cheeks that she had only touched for the first time that day.

"Anna..."

The word slipped from her mouth before she realised it.

The girl stirred and Elsa flinched, frantically flipping back onto her side of the blanket and pretending to sleep.

"Elsa?" A groggy voice sounded from behind her, and from the gentle tugs on the blanket and the accompanying noise, she knew that Anna had sat up. "Strange, I thought I heard—never mind…" the girl muttered lowly.

After what seemed like an eternity, Anna went back to sleep. While Anna lay her head down, curling up on her side, the thoughts swirled in Elsa's head, her heart pounding so hard it felt as though it was going to explode at any moment.

Bit by bit, she pieced the clues together.

Missing her company when she wasn't around. Feeling at peace when she was. Staring at her for much longer than necessary. Touching her face like a total creep when she was sleeping.

Wanting to _kiss _her.

The clock struck midnight, signaling the start to the twelfth day of their journey.

_Oh, dear._

* * *

**A/N: **Pheeeew. I can't believe I managed to churn this out in a week. I felt like I was running a marathon, and it doesn't help that the chapters are getting longer (this one is at 7,000 words!) Having to juggle writing, work and a social life is becoming a struggle, so I might not be able to update on a weekly basis in the future - but it'll still be regular, like once a fortnight at least?

And, to be honest, sometimes I get embarrassed when I'm posting an update. Having read some really fantastically good stories out there, it makes me wonder why (and what) on earth I'm pretending to write. In that regard, thank you for your encouraging reviews and favs and follows. Really :)


	8. Recollections Part IV

**Chapter 8: Recollections Part IV**

The realisation that she kind of, _sort of_, had feelings for Anna didn't make Elsa any happier.

Granted, it provided her with some relief, a kind of satisfaction that she would get after finally solving a challenging puzzle; the kind that makes one go "_a-ha_". However it also brought to fore a whole load of emotions and thoughts and considerations that had thus far been invisible. She was already having trouble with the notion that they were friends, and suddenly she was seeing Anna as a perhaps-more-than-friend.

It was strange. It was bizarre.

It terrified her.

Though Elsa would hardly proclaim to be a love expert, she wasn't ignorant either. Having spent much of her years reading and observing others, she knew that there was a distinction between infatuation, lust and love. It was difficult for her to pinpoint where her feelings for Anna lay. After all, they have only known each other for eleven days, and she had always scoffed at those tales where the protagonists had fallen head over heels for each other at first sight. No, the logical side of her told her that this could not be, she could not be in love with Anna.

While the rest of her scoffed at _that _thought.

According to reliable sources (in other words, a few trusted servants) King Magnus, the mighty White King of Nordsgarde, was smitten the moment he set his eyes on his future wife, while Queen Sofie, on the other hand, was much less enamoured with him, and indeed had thought that he was the most arrogant man alive. It had taken King Magnus over a year to win Queen Sofie's heart, but would anyone say that the king's affections were less genuine than the queen's?

Elsa knew her parents, and she knew that the answer was no.

So, was time an accurate measure of the depth of one's love? Would the amount of time that two persons knew each other matter, if it were painfully obvious that they filled each other's life in ways that they have never imagined and made them whole?

After staying awake for the rest of the night and letting the baffling thoughts run incessantly through her head, Elsa couldn't find the answer. She also decided that maybe, she _shouldn't_ respond to the question of what exactly she felt for Anna, because there were yet other aspects to the conundrum.

Firstly, her situation, as it stood, was complicated enough. She was being brought to trial, and only heaven knew what was going to happen to her next. Would she be thrown into the cells? Would she be allowed to present her side of the story? Would the Lord of Arendelle believe her?

Would she survive?

And second, what did _Anna_ feel?

Elsa was attracted to her, terribly attracted to her. But she concluded that she would not, _could not_, act on those feelings.

There were simply too many questions.

* * *

At the crack of dawn, Anna awoke as she always did. The moment she stirred, Elsa shut her eyes and pretended to sleep, reminding herself to keep her breathing even and slow.

But lying unmoving next to Anna was a form of torture. The awareness that Elsa had obtained overnight seemed to have heightened her senses, such that she was extra sensitive to the warmth emanating from the figure beside her, and the familiar scent that wafted from the latter's skin. Her body itched to get closer to the source, much to her mind's dismay.

_No, I'm not going to touch her. _

_No, I'm not going to hug her._

_And NO, I'm definitely not going to kiss her! _

She wondered if Anna could tell that her face was burning.

It didn't help that Anna seemed to linger around longer than usual. The girl had sat up, but there was no indication that she had moved from her seat. What could she be doing? A thought then popped into Elsa's head—Anna might be staring at her—and this only caused Elsa to try desperately not to squirm. She _could_ open her eyes to check, but that would defeat the purpose of her pretending to sleep, and, even worse, she might realise that Anna was looking at her. Then what?

_Then I will—she—I might— _

Out of the blue, there was a spike in the warmth and the scent, bringing Elsa's panicking thoughts to a halt. Before she could gather her wits, something soft brushed lightly across her forehead, and when she finally opened her eyes, the flap of the tent was left unfastened.

Anna was gone.

Dropping her head down to peer at the ceiling, Elsa let out a heavy sigh. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

Both of them were quieter than normal that morning. Anna appeared to be lost in her thoughts, while Elsa was mired in hers.

The mood of Ser Kromvik and the soldiers, however, were the direct opposite. As they went about their duties, making breakfast and dismantling the camp, they bantered with each other cheerfully, or whistled a happy tune. It was apparent that the men were excited about returning to Stag Hall, and while Elsa did not share their enthusiasm, she could not find it in her heart to fault them. She fully understood their desire to be back with their families, now that she was separated from her own and had no idea when she would see them again.

When they set off on their horses, she quietly listened to Ser Kromvik's conversation with Anna. Though her interaction with Ser Kromvik had been rather limited, he was always polite to her, and she enjoyed his boisterous sense of humour (even if she did not show it much). She could also tell that he cared deeply for Anna; not just in the way in which a knight felt responsible for his charge, but more like a doting uncle, which meant that he rated even more highly in Elsa's opinion.

The knight was radiating pride and joy as he spoke of his children, and so wide was the grin on his face that it was infectious. Indeed, he managed to draw out a chuckle from a very morose looking Anna, and Elsa's spirits, too, were lifted a little.

It was first time Anna had smiled that day, and if the situation were different, Elsa would have been anxious to find out what was bothering her. She, however, had some inkling as to what the problem was, and was most reluctant to probe. In truth, she wished that she would never have to face that issue.

But it was just wishful thinking.

Ser Kromvik had at last called for a break, and upon dismounting from their horse, Anna brought her to a large clearing nearby to rest. The girl plopped onto the ground unceremoniously before patting the space beside her as a signal for Elsa to sit.

When Elsa entered the clearing, she had noticed vaguely that it was dotted with patches of colourful flowers that she had never seen before. Nonetheless, the observation was quickly replaced by the dread that started roiling in her stomach, and her body tensed as she lowered herself slowly on the lawn.

There was another moment of silence before Anna spoke.

"Elsa," she called softly, and Elsa's arms tingled at the way her name sounded on Anna's tongue. The girl turned to look at her, and she would have found the pair of blue-green eyes mesmerising if not for the fact that she was extremely nervous.

What was Anna going to say to her? Was she going to ask about her past?

"Did you… kill seven men?"

Elsa had readied herself for this, but even then she was taken aback by the bluntness of the question. It left her winded, as if she had been struck by a physical blow, and for a long time she was unable to utter a single word. Eventually, she nodded.

_Yes, I did_.

The next moment seemed to stretch on infinitely, as Anna's eyes dimmed. Was it disappointment? Disgust? Fear? Would Anna finally see the destructive side of her and not want to bother with her again?

Panic swelled within her.

"Why, Elsa? Why?"

"There must have been a reason?"

Anna's tone was pleading, however her words drifted in the air, unheard. Her earlier question had caused Elsa's unwanted memories to resurface, and her shoulders grew rigid with every flashback. It was only when a pair of warm hands enveloped hers that she realised that she had been staring into space with her fingernails digging into her palms. She flinched, and her frenzied eyes met with the calm gaze of Anna's.

"My father—Lord Henrik—he may be stern, but he is fair and impartial," Anna said slowly while her thumb rubbed soothing circles on the back of Elsa's hand. "I do not know why you did what you did, but I hope that you did it for a good reason, and I hope that one day you'll trust me enough to tell me why."

A few seconds passed before the significance of what was said sank into Elsa. Anna hadn't given up on her. Despite knowing the truth she was still holding on to her clammy hands; she was giving her time to explain herself. The trepidation that she was feeling melted away, replaced instead by an even greater fondness for the girl in front of her.

_Just give me some time, Anna. Soon, I will tell you everything… _

As Elsa's body relaxed, Anna plucked a flower and held it out. "This is Arendonia, a flower native to this region. It blossoms all year round, but especially in summer," she explained. "They grow in the fields, the forests and the hillsides, and sometimes when they bloom the land would look like it's covered in gold."

Elsa scrutinised the flower, noting its slim green stalk and vivid yellow petals that surrounded the pink center. It was so small but so cheerful looking at the same time. "_Aren…donia?_"

"Yes, Arendonia. And when our knights and soldiers go off to war, they would give it to their loved ones, because of the flower's meaning."

That snippet of information intrigued Elsa further. "_Hva betyr det?_" she asked, already forming her own guesses as to what the flower could symbolise. With a shade of yellow bright enough to rival the dazzling sun, Arendonia could mean strength, or courage, or life—

Anna smiled, reaching towards Elsa and gently tucking a wisp of her blonde hair behind her ear before placing the flower in her hair. Elsa's breath caught at both the intimacy of the gesture, and the intense yet unreadable look in Anna's eyes.

"It means… _I am always with you._"

—Or above all else, hope.

* * *

After a well-deserved rest, the convoy continued on their way.

The mood had lightened up somewhat with Elsa and Anna reaching a new understanding with each other, and the latter hummed lowly as their horse trotted along the Knight's Path. The haunting melody, which carried a tinge of sadness, was unknown to Elsa. When she tilted her head around to ask what it was, Anna's eyes widened.

"Oh! It's an Isivian folk song – it's called The Girl from Afar." She smiled at Elsa sheepishly. "Do I sound horrible?"

Elsa shook her head at once. She thought that Anna sounded nice—_wonderful_ in fact—and had promptly added this to the ever-growing list of things that she liked about the girl. If it had dawned on her then that she was keeping an internal catalogue she would probably have combusted from embarrassment, but as luck would have it, she was distracted by the mention of the Old Kingdom. "_Isiv?_" she queried.

She had always been fascinated with the place, given its long and colourful history.

The grin that Anna was wearing broadened as she gave a blithe "thank you". She then shifted in her seat; seemingly happily oblivious to how Elsa stiffened when she rested her chin on Elsa's shoulder. "And yes, it's from Isiv. I spent a year there when I was fourteen, and learnt the song from one of the local guards."

"_A—ah,_" was Elsa's reply. Normally she would have a thousand things to ask about Isiv, but her treacherous brain only registered the sensation of Anna's warm body pressing lightly against her back. While it wasn't the first time that she was on the receiving end of this affectionate gesture, it was certainly the first time that it happened after she realised her not-so-clear feelings for the girl.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she fumbled for something to say instead of sounding like a terrified mouse.

"_Hva er sangen om?_" Thankfully, she managed to speak without stuttering.

"You mean what the song is about?"

"_Ja_."

But Anna didn't answer immediately. Her chin lolled about lazily on Elsa's shoulder, while Elsa's heartbeat accelerated at an unhealthy rate. "As per its name, it's about a beautiful girl who comes from a land far, far away," she said slowly. She then added in a much quieter voice, "Much like you, actually."

And time stopped for Elsa.

She stared blankly at the road ahead, with her thoughts thrown into a jumble yet again. Elsa had once heard that one of the symptoms of suffering from a major crush was the tendency to over read anything and everything, and she was beginning to understand what this meant exactly – her mind was currently processing Anna's words in a hundred million different ways.

What did she mean? Did she mean that Elsa was beautiful? As in _beautiful_ beautiful? Or _I-like-you-so-you're-beautiful_ beautiful? And what kind of like? Like, the _I-like-you-as-a-friend_ like? Or the _I-like-you-more-than-a-friend_ like? And why was she even saying that? Was Anna _flirting _with her?

Her face was getting warmer by the second. But just as she was about to steal a peek at Anna for some clues as to what her intentions were, the girl sat back upright, stretching her arms with an unladylike yawn. Elsa instantly regretted the distance between them.

On the bright side, the cogs in her brains finally started creaking. She searched her memory for what they were talking about before she went into dazed-and-confused mode.

_Ah, yes_.

"_Fortell meg me rom Isiv_," Elsa said.

Anna lowered her arms to take up the reins once more. "You want to know more about Isiv?" she asked, and Elsa gave an affirmative nod.

A wistful look appeared on Anna's face as she tipped her chin upwards. "Isiv is everything that you would imagine of the oldest kingdom in Naultica," she began, "and it is particularly known for being a treasure trove of beautiful architecture. There is Ratiyaf, the home of the royal family, intricately decorated with glazed tiles; Kusol, the majestic mausoleum of Mazaral the Conqueror; the ancient ruins of the Qhalzar Empire at Watiq; and the sprawling bazaars and narrow streets of Alya, always bustling with scholars, traders and warriors from lands near and far…

My favourite, though, is the Temple of Quon. Have you heard of it? The entire temple is sculpted from white marble, with openings around the crowning dome to allow the light to come in. As the day passes, the sun's rays falling through the dome would travel though the halls, illuminating the statues of the gods one by one. It is simply breathtaking."

Elsa had listened in rapt attention while Anna described Isiv with her eyes closed and a smile playing on her lips. And she was probably paying a little_ too_ much attention, for when Anna's eyes suddenly flew open, she jerked back in shock.

"Would you like to visit Isiv?"

The question caught Elsa by surprise, but she gradually said yes, she had always wanted to travel to Isiv. That earned her a jubilant grin from Anna, who stuck out her pinky at her.

"Someday we'll go to Isiv together, you and me. Promise?"

Anna's tone was light and playful; nevertheless her eyes betrayed the seriousness in her request. Elsa hesitated, not because she was reluctant to visit Isiv with Anna, but because it seemed like an impossible dream, even if it would be the best dream she ever had.

"Anna…"

However the girl was unperturbed. "Promise me, Elsa?" she persisted, craning her neck forward and sending her a beseeching look.

With the sun sinking into the horizon in the background, its golden beams casting an orange glow on Anna's hair, Elsa decided that they were fools, both of them. But she was willing to live the lie for as long as she could.

Carefully, she wrapped her finger around Anna's.

"_Ja._"

* * *

Elsa thought that supper was a lot more interesting that night.

Knowing that it would be the last time that they were setting up camp, the soldiers had went about their chores with extra enthusiasm. With Ser Kromvik as the "head chef" and the men scurrying about at his orders, it didn't take long for the steaming bowls of soup to be doled out, along with the bread rolls.

But instead of the usual small talk amongst the men while they gathered around the fire, Ser Kromvik had broken out in a song. His bushy eyebrows wriggled expressively as he sang, and the impromptu performance was immediately met with wild cheers from Anna and the soldiers.

The song was probably famous in Heladonia; because the soldiers seemed to all know the lyrics by heart when they joined in. The air was soon filled with rowdy voices—a mesh of tuneful _and _tuneless singing—and with Anna seated beside her, laughing uncontrollably at the antics of Ser Kromvik and the men, Elsa would dare say that it was _fun_.

When the singing eventually stopped and the fire burned low, Elsa sat at the outer edge of the camp, together with Ser Kromvik and Anna. The two were having a pleasant conversation, complete with the standard jibes and jokes, and while Anna would occasionally drag her into the fray, she kept quiet most of the time, contented just to listen.

Upon hearing an exceptionally dry remark from Anna regarding one of the nobles he knew, Ser Kromvik slapped his knee and guffawed. "Oh ho!" he exclaimed, slightly out of breath as he wiped the tears from his eyes. "That was a good one!"

The poker face that Anna was wearing earlier morphed into a wry grin. "I'm glad you think so, Ser, because I sure wasn't amused at that time."

Elsa didn't know who this "Hans" whom they were talking about was, but he must have irked Anna enough to necessitate knocking him off a boat with her fist. The little tale also proved that Anna's lithe frame belied her physical strength, which led to Elsa reminiscing about what she had seen of the girl's physique at the hot spring, which _then_ led to a strange, squeezing feeling in the pit of her stomach.

She was suddenly very keen to see Anna's very naked shoulders again.

It was a good thing that Anna and Ser Kromvik were not paying attention to her; otherwise they would have seen the dark blush coating her cheeks.

"Ah yes, Lady Anna, before I forget. Have you spoken to Luke and Pol about the arrangements tomorrow?"

At Ser Kromvik's question, Anna straightened her back and blinked. "The arrangements?"

"Yes, the arrangements. You know, what I said about Luke splitting the supplies—"

"Oh, you mean that. I haven't, Ser."

"Could you tell them now, please?"

That seemed to perplex Anna, because she furrowed her brows. "Now, Ser? I can tell them—"

"Now, please, my lady."

Other than a small smile, Ser Kromvik's expression was placid. A little too placid, Elsa mused, given how sprightly he normally was, and this too didn't go unnoticed by Anna. The girl quirked an eyebrow while she stood up.

"Fine," she said a tad grouchily, casting a quick glance at Elsa before looking back at the knight. "But don't you bully her while I'm away!"

As Ser Kromvik chuckled, Anna hurried towards the other side of the camp. Once she was out of earshot, the former turned to Elsa, twirling his moustache.

"Apologies for this," he said, inclining his head in the direction where Anna went, "but I wanted to speak to you alone."

After Elsa had nodded to indicate that it was fine, Ser Kromvik shifted in his seat, lacing his fingers together and exhaling heavily. "I'll be frank. I know that you have told Lady Anna a few things about yourself, but until now, we don't know why you are in Heladonia, or what exactly happened in Hillsvale."

The fact that the knight was bringing up this topic wasn't exactly surprising to Elsa, though she involuntarily twitched at the mention of the town. She stayed silent.

Ser Kromvik appeared unruffled at her lack of response. "I wouldn't lie and say that I'm not the least bit wary of you," he continued, "However, Anna is different. Her heart is pure. She always sees the best in people, and she truly believes in 'innocent until proven guilty'."

Ser Kromvik paused.

"She is… very attached to you."

Elsa flicked her gaze up at the knight. Strictly speaking the searing heat should be creeping up her cheeks, but she was too distracted by the troubled tone in his voice to fully appreciate what he had said.

"She has been kind to you, hasn't she?"

"_Ja_," she replied softly. That was something that she had no doubts about.

"You will protect her? And even if you will not protect her, you will spare her?"

The direction that the conversation had abruptly taken had Elsa confused. Why was Ser Kromvik asking this of her? Was Anna in some sort of trouble?

"_Er hun i trøbbel—_"

Ser Kromvik hastily shook his head. "No, no, she's not in trouble. It's just that… take it as an old man's paranoia, but I'm been feeling a little uneasy lately…"

Elsa relaxed, looking down at her hands, which lay clasped on her lap.

_Thank goodness_.

"So, as I was saying," Ser Kromvik said, pulling her back to the topic, "Would you protect her? Keep her from harm?"

To be honest, Elsa had never considered this question before. Not once had she imagined that Anna would be in any form of danger, and while Ser Kromvik claimed that he was being paranoid, the connotation of his words still made her uncomfortable.

The answer, however, came naturally to her.

"_Ja._"

Ser Kromvik was clearly delighted. "Excellent," he said approvingly, patting Elsa on the shoulder as he got up from the log he was sitting on. When he caught sight of Anna a short distance away, walking much more briskly towards them than necessary, he peered down at Elsa and gave her a wink.

"I'm afraid I can't keep you away from Lady Anna for too long."

He then tilted his head back towards Anna and spoke louder. "Won't you agree, my lady?"

His words reached Anna mid-stride, and the girl's bewilderment was apparent. "What?"

The blush made its grand appearance on Elsa's face.

* * *

It all seemed well, until it was time to go to bed.

By the next day's evening they would arrive at Stag Hall, and the possible ramifications of that weighed heavily on Elsa. She tossed and turned restlessly before she finally fell asleep, and then…

"Elsa, Elsa."

"Elsa, wake up!"

When her eyes jerked open, she found herself lying on her side, her legs drawn tightly into her chest. Her trembling body was covered in cold sweat, and it took a while before her vision focused on the figure leaning over her.

She had been revisited by her nightmares, again.

"Are you alright?" In the darkness of the tent, Anna's eyes were unreadable, but her voice was brimming with concern. Elsa nodded mutely, her muscles still taut with tension. The last thing that she wanted was Anna asking her about her nightmares, and mercifully, the latter didn't.

Instead, Anna stared at her some more, her hand reaching out tentatively to brush Elsa's damp hair off her forehead. She then lowered herself back onto the blanket.

"Come here," she whispered, her arms sliding around Elsa's waist. "I'll chase the nightmares away…"

And Elsa was too exhausted, and her mind too muddled, to understand what was happening, or to resist the warm pull of Anna's arms. Her eyes fluttered close as she pressed her head against the crook of the girl's neck, the buzzing in her head fading as she convinced herself that she was safe, here, with Anna.

Her demons, nonetheless, caught up with her faster than she had thought.

* * *

"Aurgh—!"

Elsa had woken up once more when the arms that had lulled her to a dreamless sleep were ripped away. She could hear Anna's harsh breathing while the latter fumbled to light the lamp; and when the faint orange glow filled the tent, she knew that something was terribly wrong.

"We're under attack!"

The alarmed cry jumpstarted Anna into action, and Elsa clutched worriedly at her dress as the girl pulled on her boots and grabbed her sword. What was happening? Who was attacking them?

Was Anna going to fight the attackers?

"Stay here!"

In the blink of an eye, Anna was gone. The clamour around the tent grew louder and louder, until Elsa decided that she couldn't take it anymore. She clambered to her feet, her movements less graceful than she would have liked, and lifted the flap of her tent.

Her breath caught in her throat.

It was chaos everywhere. Some of the tents had been set ablaze, and the intense heat of the fire could be felt even from a distance. The soldiers, who clearly hadn't had the time to strap on their armour, were scattered around the camp, their swords raised as they clashed with bands of men who were dressed in dark clothes from head to toe.

Elsa had no idea who those mysterious men were, but they were certainly skilled, and the soldiers were visibly having trouble holding them off. She quickly swept her gaze across the camp, looking for Anna, but her search drew a blank. Her eyes darted again, scrutinising each of the figures for any sign of strawberry blonde hair—

One of the masked men was staring at her.

A chill ran down her back. With her hands trapped in the shackles, she was helpless, more helpless than ever. So when the man locked eyes with her, and took a step in her direction, she did the only thing she could do.

She ran.

* * *

As she raced through the woods, occasionally stumbling over a protruding root and colliding into a tree branch, Elsa thought that she really, really hated the lock that was chained around her wrists.

The man most definitely had followed her, and there was nothing she could do except to try to put as much distance as possible between them. But it was in the middle of the night, and she was in the middle of a forest – if not for the full moon, she would be crawling on the ground, trying to feel her way between the trees.

She had run for what seemed like forever when her lungs gave out and she slumped against a tree trunk. Her heart was pounding like a drum, and black dots were threatening to swarm her vision. She took a deep breath, one after another, and another, until at last she reached a point where she didn't feel as if she was drowning.

With the tree providing much needed support, Elsa listened intently for any noise that would indicate that there was someone else in the vicinity. All was quiet, to her relief, and she blinked away the tears of panic that had welled up along the way.

The good news was that there was no sign of any of the attackers. The bad news, however, was that she didn't know where she was. The masked men might reappear at any time, and she wouldn't be in any better position to defend herself than she was an hour ago.

Given the circumstances, the most sensible thing to do would be to find a place to hide until sunrise. She should make her way carefully around the forest and find a secure spot to rest, and hopefully in the morning, Anna would be able to find—

_ANNA! _

Elsa couldn't believe that she had forgotten all about her.

Where was Anna?

Was she safe?

She recalled the way the soldiers and the intruders had slashed their blades at each other; they were out to maim and kill. The realisation that Anna could have been injured in a fight, or even worse, seriously hurt, terrified Elsa more than the fact that she was being pursued by masked men in a forest.

Her hands fidgeted as she started pacing. The voices were already arguing in her head.

_What should I do… what should I do…_

_There's nothing you can do, Elsa. Look at you, you can't even save yourself!_

_But—_

_You can't even use your magick. You can't save her! _

_Yes, but—_

_Find a place to hide. Find a place to hide and it'll be fine. _

And for a split second that seemed like a good idea. Till she imagined the pair of brilliant eyes scrunched up in pain; and that beautiful face, drenched in blood. She inhaled a shuddering breath.

_No. No, no, no. I can't do nothing. Anna could be hurt; she could be badly hurt by now and I'm just standing here, wringing my hands—_

_You can't help her! _

_No, I have to go back._

_Elsa—_

_No. _

Her mind was made up.

_I have to go back._

* * *

If the forest was a maze in the daytime, it was a labyrinth at night. Elsa had no clue as to which direction she was headed, much less whether she was headed in the right direction. But she had to carry on.

With every minute that passed, her restlessness grew. She had been hanging on perilously to the hope that the convoy had prevailed in the fight. She had been clinging on to the knowledge that Anna was trained in physical combat from a very young age, and therefore should be able to hold her own against the attackers.

There were, nevertheless, nagging doubts. From what she had observed earlier the soldiers were outnumbered five to one, and who knew if there were more assailants lurking in the forest? And would Anna, kind hearted as she was, be any match for their viciousness? She would not be able to breathe easy until she saw for herself that Anna was safe and sound.

She paused in the midst of the trees; her frustration at not knowing which way to go gnawing at her while her mind was fixated on a single objective.

_Anna… _

"Elsa!"

She spun around, and in the next instant the girl whom she had been desperately searching for embraced her tightly. "Thank goodness I found you, I was so worried!" Anna's voice was quivering.

There was a surge of indescribable emotions in Elsa, but she had not the chance to hug Anna back when the latter pulled away. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Anna asked, flicking her gaze up and down at her.

Elsa shook her head numbly, still feeling overwhelmed by the turn of events. When her attention fell on Anna's sodden shirt, however, her chest constricted.

There was blood. A lot of blood.

"A—Anna!" she choked, realising that her fears had came true. Anna was hurt. How could she not have noticed before? Her face was deathly pale under the moonlight, and her shoulders were shaking.

Before Elsa could say anything else, though, Anna shushed her. The girl started digging—painfully, Elsa noticed—in her pocket and retrieved a key, which she then slotted into the keyhole of Elsa's shackles. The lock split open; and her hands were free.

She stared at her blankly.

"Go, Elsa, _run_."

It sunk into her what Anna was asking her to do, and the thought crushed her. She was not going to leave Anna behind. Not again.

"_Nei, Anna—_"

A branch snapped in the distance, causing Anna's eyes to widen in fear. "Please, Elsa, I might not be able to protect you. Just run, and don't look back."

She was about to tell Anna that no, she wasn't going anywhere without her, when more branches snapped. Anna pushed her away, drawing her sword and struggling to grasp it with both her hands. It struck Elsa then that Anna was not only injured, her left arm was _broken_.

"RUN, ELSA!"

The sword of one of the attackers smashed against Anna's, the impact causing her to stumble backwards. The other man's sword then sliced cleanly across her stomach, leaving a splash of crimson on the ground.

_Blood—so much blood—_

Elsa had heard Anna yelling at her, but she couldn't move even if she wanted to. From the moment she laid eyes on Anna's nasty gash, something in her mind snapped, and she watched through a haze of horror and despair as the swords continued their deadly dance in the air, cutting and slashing and clashing; as more blood was spilled; as Anna's shirt turned increasingly crimson…

Her eyes became unfocused. She could hear their screams now, Clyton Smythe and the members of his gang. She could see the way the bright red blood had trickled down Smythe's arm, the ugly sneer on his face, the pure malice of his men as they swung their knifes at her. She could feel his grip tightening around her neck, the fearful, loathing looks of the townsfolk, the soulless eyes of every person she had killed staring back at her.

And she continued in this downward spiral into darkness, until the two masked men knelt before her, laying their swords by their sides.

"_Tilgi oss for våre sen ankomst, Prinsesse Elsa._"

Elsa blinked, jerking out of her trance. Initially she thought she had heard wrong, but no. They _were_ speaking Nordian, and they called her _Princess_.

That means—

She barely had time to react when the atmosphere noticeably shifted. The aura of powerful magick was unmistakable, and Elsa held her breath as a man emerged from the depths of the woods, his footsteps strong and radiating authority.

Her father was here. King Magnus was here.

He strode across the clearing, stopping a short distance away to appraise her silently. She shuddered as his intense gaze landed on her, and eventually she had to look away. He then twisted his head to peer in the other direction.

"_Hvordan våger du_…" he growled.

Elsa followed his line of sight, and it was only then did she see Anna.

The girl was lying in a pool of blood, her shirt stained completely red through and through. Her eyes were half lidded as she struggled to look at King Magnus, and she appeared so weak and utterly mangled that Elsa's heart broke.

_Anna—no—_

She clamped her hands over her mouth.

How did this happen?!

_And I was supposed to protect her! _

"Anna!"

There was a shout, and Ser Kromvik appeared at the edge of the clearing. The knight was hardly in a better state than Anna, the only difference being that he was still standing while she had fallen. The sight of Anna, crumpled like a discarded puppet, caused his eyes to narrow, and then everything just happened so quickly – one moment he was letting out a roar, lunging towards King Magnus, and the next moment he crashed into the ground, his lifeless body encased in layer of frost.

It was the first time Elsa had seen her father kill a man.

And it shook her to the core.

"_For en dumhet_," King Magnus said disdainfully, and Elsa felt faint. Her father had killed Ser Kromvik. Her father had killed Ser Kromvik, by striking him with his ice magick, and he was acting like he had merely stepped onto an ant.

Anger and disbelief rose within her, but what her father said next made her blood run cold.

"_Nå er det din tur til å dø_."

His attention was turned back to Anna now, and all at once, Elsa remembered what had happened at her birthday dinner. She remembered what had happened to her books. She remembered what had _just_ happened to Ser Kromvik.

Her father was going to kill Anna. No matter what she says, no matter how hard she pleads, her father was going to kill her.

"_Nei, la meg gjøre det._"

The words left her lips, and without a further thought, she stepped out from the shadows, raising an upturned palm. As the magick coursed through her veins, and as the swirling vortex in her palm picked up speed, she forced herself to ignore the way in which the astonishment on Anna's face turned into hurt.

The only way to save Anna was to destroy her herself.

_I'm sorry, Anna… _

Her gaze hardened.

And she sent the spiralling blue orb hurtling towards the one and only girl that she loved.

* * *

Elsa didn't know how long she had stood there, watching the winter rain as it fell from the sky and washed over the land.

The chill bit into her palms as she pressed against the windowpane, but she didn't care. She was already numb, and the cold was no match for the bleakness in her heart.

There was a faint knocking at the door, but she remained stock-still. A short moment later the door creaked open, and even as light footsteps padded behind her, she continued her vigil by the window.

"Elsa?" a small voice sounded, and her attention was drawn to the young boy standing beside her. His head was cocked to one side, and his large blue eyes regarded her inquisitively.

"Elsa," he asked again, his eyebrows drooping, "why are you so sad?"

She turned her gaze back to the grey landscape outside her window. "I hurt someone, Olaf…" she replied, her voice cracking with shed and unshed tears. They were flowing freely down her cheeks now, and she didn't bother to wipe them away. There was no point, because she would cry again.

She would cry endlessly for the rest of her life.

But she would never get Anna back.

* * *

**A/N: **Hi guys, I'm very sorry about the delay. Things have really fired up at work, and I'm barely surviving as it is. Me + the corporate life =:/

I wasn't able to respond to your reviews this time, but I really appreciate your words of encouragement, they put a silly smile on my face. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart! It keeps me writing.

It occurred to me while finalising this chapter that I can actually end the story here... but I kinda figured that I'll be Public Enemy No. 1 if I did. So fret not! We still have some way to go with this story yet, hehe...

Anyway, this chapter marks the end of the Recollection series (phew). Just to make it sparkling crystal clear, the last scene in this chapter is the continuation of the first scene in chapter 5. This chapter should have solved a part of the mystery that's bugging everyone, and the answer to the rest will be revealed in the next chapter (yay!).

Hope you enjoyed this, and till the next time!


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